Class BV 4-S I5 
Book i_Li 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSnV 



The Modern Devil 




The Modern T^rr^V—FRDXTT-I'TECE. Copyright, 1903, by W. W. Houston 

"'Get thee behind me, thou Evil One.'" 



The MODERN 
DEVIL 




HIS PLAY BETWEEN THE 



FALSE AND the GOOD 



TF Being A SEARCHING ALLEGORY on the 
subtle intrigues of the Devil within The 
Church, The Home, and Modern Society. 

REV. I. MENCH CHAMBERS A. M. 

•\\ 

Author of " At the Beautiful Gate," "On the Sunny Side," 
" Harold Payson " etc. 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION ' , ] ^ , \ \\\) 

REV. J. R. MILLER, D. D. ^ 
Pictures h y J. FRANC V' i? H A R T 

PHILADELPHIA 

INTERNATIONAL PUBLISHING CO. 



THE LIBRARY OF 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copies Received 

JUN 17 1903 

Copyrigrit Entry 

3^{r. I ^"110 5 

CLASS uL XXc. No, 
COPY B, 



6 



Copyright, 1903, by 
I. Mench Chambers 



CAUTION 

^ ' I I >{of i2:e is hereby given that the entire 
^^f|ntl of this book are fully protected by 

'copyrights. The Story is original; the 
Illtistrations are original ; the Title has 
been* j^oliceived especially for this book ; 
and '^^J infringements on proprietary 
rights will be prosecuted to the full extent 
and penalty of the law. 



Dedication 



To all brave and courageous souls, 
who, by godly life and devoted serv- 
ice, are seeking to destroy the works 
of the Devil, and bring to mankind 
the gospel of the divine life, this 
volume is affectionately dedicated by 

The Author. 



"The good hook of the hour, then,— I do not 
speak of the bad ones— is simply the useful or 
pleasant talk of some person whom you cannot 
othenvise converse with, printed for you. Very 
useful often, telling you what you need to knoiv; 
very pleasant often, as a sensible friend's present 
talk would be/' 



viii 



PREFACE 



Men don't believe in the Devil now, as their 

fathers used to do; 
They've forced the door of the broadest creed 

to let His Majesty through. • 
There isn't a print of his cloven foot or a fiery 

dart from his broiv 
To be found in earth or air to-day, for the 

ivorld has voted so. 

Who dogs the steps of the toiling saint and 

digs the pits for his feet? 
Who soivs the tares in the fields of time 

Wherever God soivs his ivheatf 
The Devil is voted not to be, and, of course, 

the thing is true; 
But ivho is doing the hind of work the Devil 

alone can do? 

We are told that he does not go about as a roaring 
lion noiv ; 

But ivhom shall ive hold responsible for the 
everlasting row 



PREFACE 



To he heard in home, in ehiirch and state, to 

the earth's remotest hound, ^ 

If tlie Devil hi) a unanimous vote is noichere to 
he found f 

Won't somehody step to the front forthwith 

and make their how and show 
Hon- the frauds and crimes of a single day 

spring upf We ivant to know. 
The DevU was fairly voted out, and, of course, 

the DeviVs gone; 
But simple people irould like to know ivho 

carries the husiness on. 

— Eev. Alfred J. Hough. 



A Word from the Publishers 



To-day, men seem to be drifting, in many ways, away from 
the teachings of Jesns. The Story of the Cross does not thrill 
them now. They camp on debatable ground; follow debat- 
able occupations; live debatable lives. There is a message 
for them in these pages. 

From "time to time, one happens upon a book which has 
been written because the author had no choice but to write it. 
So it is with this scathing arraignment of modern conditions 
in the Home, the Church, the State, and Society. Our author 
had no rest, day or night, so soon as the book was complete 
in his mind, until he sat down to write it, and then he wrote 
at white heat. 

For years he has been brooding over these and cognate 
subjects, while studying an old book— a simple, unpretending 
old book— in which are printed stories by men who saw and 
heard things, and then told them to others. He, too, has seen 
and heard things, and his message to the world is in this volume. 

Four of these men were plain and unlettered, but they had 

xi 



xii 



A WORD FROM THE PUBLISHERS 



known and loved One ^^who lifted with His pierced hands 
empires off their hinges, turned the stream of centuries out of 
its channel, and still governs the ages." Their stories have 
changed the face of the world. Another was a man whose 
hands grew hard in making tents of goats' hair; whose limbs 
and body bore marks of prison chains and rods and scourges. 
From his writings, men and women have gained inspiration 
and a hope of Eternal Life. 

It is not easy to think of any book published for many years 
that is likely to make a greater sensation than this work. Its 
author is withholding nothing of the large measure of knowl- 
edge he has received from the teachings of the Master. He is 
sharing it with the world, and when Time has done its winnow- 
ing', it shall be seen that the world is richer and sweeter for his 
work. 

The author is not a conscious theologian, but his is the 
theology of civilization, or, rather, the sort of theology that 
concerns every human being. He does not discuss latter-day 
religions— the religious vagaries of the day— but, from his high 
point of view, shows that the world is presided over by good- 
ness; that there are veritable ideas and standards of morality; 
that the world is, as a whole, steadily growing better; and, best 
of all, perhaps, that it is worth while to struggle for its con- 
tinuous betterment. 

The Publishers. 



Contents 



CHAPTER I 

The Bridge of Sighs 

A Guardian Angel Meets the Antagonist of Souls — A Vast Company 
Cross the Bridge — The Pilgrims' Song — The Angel Chorus — Satan Appears 
Again — The Angel Denounces Him — The Gates of Hell Shall Not Prevail — 
The Angel Passes to Her Ministry — A Society Function — Miss Sincere is 
Led into Temptation — Modern Delilahs and Samsons — Mr. Hypocrite's 
Creed and Aims — A Sense of Condemnation— A Soul is Won from Sin — 
What Will It Matter? 29 

CHAPTER II 

The Cross on the Lonely Hill 

A Prayer for an Enlarged Vision — The Path to the Cross — Satan's 
Hordes Destroy It — Satan and Mr. Hypocrite Meet — A Mist Hides the 
Hill-top — Satan Secretes Himself — Mr. Hypocrite Meets Determination — 
The Pilgrims' Song Again — The Pilgrims Sink in the Mire — The Angel 
Appears — The Glass of Faith — Every Day is a Fresh Beginning — Up-to- 
date Religious Literature — Mr. Hypocrite and Miss Sincere — Miss Sin- 
cere's Faith is Shaken — The Angel Exposes Mr. Hypocrite — Miss Sincere 
Turns to the Bible — Satan Instructs His Workers — Satan Congratulates 
Mr. Hypocrite — Onward, Christian Soldiers, 43 

xiii 



xiv 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER III 

The Broken-down Altars 

Evangelist Comes from the Eastern Hills — He Accepts Hospitality — 
He Tells His Mission — Satan in His Council-chamber — Satan Calls Upon 
Mr. Hj^pocrite — Prayer Heals the Sick — Hypocrite and Miss Sincere 
Discuss the Situation — Evangelist and the Faithful Few — Satan's Latest 
Plan — He Counsels Hypocrite — A Day of Victory — Evangelist Scores 
Hypocrite — The Seventy Return With Joy, 60 



CHAPTER IV 

Hypocrite in the Pew 

Each Church Has Its Judas — Satan Sets More Snares — Minister Good 
is Attacked from Behind — Hypocrite and His Fellow-plotters Meet — 
Miss Sincere Appeals to the Angel — Evangelist Scores Hypocrite Again — 
Satan and His Helpers Discuss the Matter — The Angel Comforts Minister 

Good, 80 

CHAPTER V 

The Modern Thirst for Gold 

Avarice Breaks All of the Commandments — The Thirst for Riches a 
Disease of the Times — The Lessons and Obligations of Wealth — The 
Tempter and the Tempted — Hypocrite Has a Troublesome Dream — Satan 
Hears Good News — Evangelist and the Minister Discuss Municipal Gov- 
ernment — Hypocrite is " Taken Care of" — Hypocrite "In the Hands of 
His Friends " — Man-of-the-World Writes a Letter — The Angel Reveals a 

Plot to EvangeHst, 103 

CHAPTER VI 

The House of Selfishness 

Whole-soul and Determination Seek the Hills — The Charmed Path — 
Self-love Appears — Deception Comes on the Scene —Man-of-the World and 
Hypocrite Take Their Ease— The Story of Miser— The House of Selfish- 
ness is Doomed — The Hills of Delusion — Determination Defies the Devil — 
There is a Grander Life — Evangelist Leads a Pilgrimage — The Seed Called 
Heart's Desire — The Barren Hills — Satan Curses His Tools, 131 



CONTENTS 



XV 



CHAPTER VII 

The Path of the Primrose 

The City of Sin— A Great Light Falls Upon It— The Pleasant Begin- 
nings of Vice — The Angel Pleads for the City — Determination Proposes to 
Reform the City — Satan's Army of Quiet Workers — The Angel Goes with 
Miss Sincere — The Path of the Primrose — Hypocrite Treads upon Thorns 
—The Pit of Death— A Note of Warning, 153 

CHAPTER VIII 

Judas in Twentieth-Century Clothes 

The Price of a Vote — Satan's Skillful Disguise — His School of Modern 
Methods — In Satan's Schoolrooms — The Darkened Windows — Modern 
Business Methods — The Hill of Prospect — Satan's Liberality to His Tools — 
The Real Things of Life— Mr. Man-of-the-World is Duped— The Downfall 
of Artful — The Good Angel Saves Him, 174 

CHAPTER IX 

In with the Priests 

Satan's Plan Miscarries — He Flies Into a Rage — He Overhears Evan- 
gelist Denounce Him — The Communion Under the Cedar— Satan Visits 
Hypocrite — Miss Sincere and Her Mission— Hypocrite Banters Satan — 
Satan Plots Against the Ministers — Man-of-the-World Joins in the Plot — 
A Day of Recreation — The "League" Offers a Bribe — Evangelist De- 
nounces the Plot— Who Pays the Bills ? 195 

CHAPTER X 

Butterflies in Vacation Time 

The Stagnant Pool— The Dream Interpreted — The Foolish Trio — 
The City by the Sea — Satan Very Busy — Man-of-the-World Entertains — 
The "Boardwalk" — Religion is Left at Home — A John the Baptist is 
Needed— The Rev. Mr. Please-all— Satan in the Best of Spirits— The 
Prayer-meeting on the Beach — The Rescue of a Magdalen, 215 



xvi 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER XI 

Running Past the Signals 

Satan Sets Up False Signals — He Visits His Workshop — He Makes 
the Ink with which Bad Books and Pictures are Printed — The Home of 
Lies — Lies Made to Order — The Murder of the Innocents — Race Suicide 
is Fostered — Three Successful Fiends — The Purity League — The Devil's 
Rapid-fire Guns — The Angel Points Out His Slimy Track — Modern Show- 
bills—The Angel Slays a Company of Fiends, 236 

CHAPTER XII 

The Broken Cogs 

Satan Keeps a List of the Churches — He Knows the Weak Ones — 
His Untiring Plots — He Has His Dupes Among Church Officers — He 
Attends a Church Meeting, but is Detected There — His Plan Fails — He 
Sends for Heresy — Satan Issues His Orders — The Bible is to be Attacked — ■ 
The Church Machinery is to be Disabled — He Introduces Professor Philos- 
ophy—Man's Knowledge is Cold Ashes— The Old Book, 262 

CHAPTER XIII 

The Devil's Laboratory 

The Green Liquor of Envy — Jealousy is its Twin Poison — Satan 
Mixes the Ingredients Himself — Narrow Escape of the Widow Faith — 
Satan's Serpents Use Their Cruel Fangs — Evangelist Has a Timely Mes- 
sage for the Children — The Angel Again Defeats Satan's Plans — Satan 
Sends for Faultfinder — Love the Antidote of all Venom — Determination 
Captures and Destroys the Poison — Satan's Fury at .His Loss, .... 282 

CHAPTER XIV 

The Devil's Poisoned Arrows 

Satan's Grim Castle — How the Arrows are Made — How the Arrows 
are Used — The Venom of Cruel Words — Bitterness in Church Societies — 
The Crime of Reckless Speech — Faultfinder and His Band — Satan Makes 
a Tour of Inspection — Paying Off Old Scores — Satan is Disgusted — Three 
Gates of Gold — Hypocrite and Man-of-the- World Discuss Matters — Satan 
Falls Into a Rage — Miss Sincere and Mrs. Hypocrite, 307 



CONTENTS 



xvii 



CHAPTER XV 

The Divorce Bureau 

Satan and Belial Confer — A Letter from Faultfinder — Divorce is 
Popular — Its Moral Side — Private Marriage Bureaus — Platonic Friend- 
ships — Anything to Destroy the Home — The Angel Enters the Castle — 
She Overhears Satan's Plans — Moral and Political decay — The Hidden 
Cage— God's Law Regarding Divorce — Belial and Faultfinder Attack a 
Home — Hypocrite's Wedding Anniversary — The Divorce Mills — They are 
Destroyed — The Lord Laughs at Satan, 332 

CHAPTER XVI 

The Worship of Other Gods 

Glory in the Highest — Thou Shalt Have no Other Gods — The 
Pulpit and the Pew — Satan's New Pitfalls — A Jealous God — The Christian 
Goes on Singing — The Church of the Holy Passion — Rev. Mr. Please-all — 
The Juggernaut of Fashion — Church Festivals — The Cross is Kept in the 
Background — Sunday Amusements — The Bars of Zion are Let Down — 
The Path of the Wicked — Evangelist Scores the City— The False Gods- 
Deception Invents Excuses for Christians — Him Have I Pierced, . . 356 

CHAPTER XVII 

Wrecks Along the Shore 

The Sea of Social Swirl — The Merciless Tides and Their Victims — 
Pleasure and Death Hand in Hand — Presumption and Ignorance are 
Lost — Satan Laughs at His Victims — The Hosts of Heaven Gather— 
Man-of-the- World in the Whirlpool of Wine — Determination Rescues 
Him — Evangelist Points Him to the Cross — The Dangers of the Wine- 
cup — Satan's Gilded Traps for Youth — The Secret Path to the Whirl- 
wool — The Angel Gives Determination the Light of Truth — He Turns 
it on Saloons and Gambling Den — The Banquet of the Select, .... 382 

CHAPTER XVIII 

His Majesty's Charity Fund. 

Hypocrite and Evangelist Discourse on tlie Love of Money— The 
Dream of the Vault — Some Riches Come from the Devil — The Gray 



xviii 



COXTEXTS 



Prophet and Minister Good Discuss Philanthropy— Man-of-the- World 
Endows a Museum of Art — Satan and Deception Plot to Regain Con- 
trol of Hypocrite — Evangelist Warns Hypocrite — Hypocrite's Confession 
— The Crusade for Consecrated Wealth — Covering up Great Thefts by 
Generosity — The Thralldom of Greed, 405 

CHAPTER XIX 

The Pilgrim's Scars 

Hypocrite Meets His Greatest Sorrow — Evangelist Comforts the 
Stricken Man — Satan Torments Hypocrite — The Angel Comforts Him — 
" Get Thee Behind Me, Satan — The Enemy of Souls is Abashed — The 
Unseen Battlefield — Each Pilgrim Has His Scars — Man-of-the- World and 
Rev. Mr. Please-all Laugh at Hypocrite's Conversion — Satan Sneers at 
the " Unique Disciple'" — The Crack in Satan's Castle Walls — Man-of-the- 

World Loses His Weahh, 428 

CHAPTER XX 

The Good Angel's Pity 

The Cry from Earth to Heaven — Angelic Ministrants — A Great Stir 
in Satan's Castle — The Challenge — The Breath of Selfishness — Fires of 
Compassion Are Kindled — The Demons Defy Jehovah — Their Horrible 
Death — God's Purpose Always Prevails — The Angel's Touch — The Arch- 
fiend Blasphemes — The " Bureau of Lies" is Damaged — Satan Exhorts 
His Hosts — Consecrated Wealth — Hypocrite Consecrates His Life to the 
Master— The Tree of Pity— Its Story— Satan Cannot Blast It— The 
Almighty Goeth By — Satan in Dismay, 446 

CHAPTER XXI 

Max-of-the- World Uxder the Light 

The Once Prosperous Mr. Man-of-the- World Soliloquizes — The Pinch 
of Poverty — Evangelist Shows Man-of-the- World Thre^ Lights — Past. 
Present, and Future — The Gate of opportunity — The King's Highway — 
The Tree of Pity Again — The Road of Sacrifice — Satan Hears Man-of- 
the- World Pray — Hypocrite is a Comforter — The Window of Revelation 
— The Marys of the Xew Era — A Magdalen is Saved — The Present Alone 
is Ours— The Law of Christian Brotherhood — Another Season at Long- 
shore — Mr. Please-all Takes up His Cross, 467 



CONTENTS 



xix 



CHAPTER XXII 
Saved as by Fire 

The Passion of the Pit — Evangelist's Message Falls upon Dull 
Ears — The Devoted Band Leave the City — A Strange Light Appears — 
The Day of the Millennium — The Refining Fire Falls upon the City of 
Worldliness — The Curse of Iniquity is Removed — Xone to Molest — 
Satan is Foiled by Grace — He Defies God — The Avenging Angel Over- 
powers Satan — Satan is Thrown into a Pit — Prophecy is Fulfilled — The 
Gladness of the World — Satan's Castle in Ruins, 484 



CHAPTER XXIII 
The Opening of thr Heavenly Gates 

« 

The Light Breaks — The Heavy Cross Seems Small — Minister Good 
Passes to Higher Service — Easter Morning — The Redeemed City — The 
Motionless Past — The Oblivion of God's Mercy — The Angel Brings Good 
Tidings — Christ Shall Come — A Watch-tower Arises — The Advancing 
Age — Regions of Serene Grace — At the Home of Widow Faith — The 
Glorified Christ Comes — The Company in White Robes — The City of 
Peace, 500 



^^A proverb or parable, being once unfolded, 
by reason of its affinity with the fancy, the more 
siveetly insinuates itself into that, and is from 
thence with the greater advantage transmitted 
to the understanding . In this state ive are not 
able to behold truth in its oivn native beauty and 
luster; but while ive are veiled with mortality, 
truth must veil itself, too, that it may the more 
freely converse with us/' 

— John Smith, of Cambridge. 



Illustrations 



PAGE ^ 

" ' Get thee behind me, thou Evil One.' " Frontispiece. 

' ' Miss Sincere was utterly out of sj^mpathy with her surroundings, " . 37 

"An army of laborers destroying the way to the Cross," 56 " 

' ' A man of kindly demeanor and patriarchal appearance,' ' 73 

" ' I see nothing to do but to get rid of him,' said Hypocrite," .... 92 

"Grind, grind, grind at the ' Mill of Fortune,' " 109 

" ' What can he do?' replied Mrs. Hypocrite," 128 ' 

"An imposing edifice in the midst of a handsome park," 145 " 

" 'The three laughed and hurried on," 164 

" ' Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting, " . . . . 169 ^ 
" ' Fifty thousand dollars for one vote !" exclaimed Minister Good," . 180 
"The home of the Adversary crowned the summit of a ragged cliff," . 185 

' ' The procession arrived at the ' Pavilion of Pleasure,' " 204 

" Thousands spent their time on the ' Boardwalk,' " 221 ~ 

" The Archfiend stepped into the ' Home of Lies,' " 240 ^ 

" ' Halt !' the Angel cried. ' Ye cannot pass !"' 257 

"Then a dozen others were on their feet at once," 276 

" No hands but his own can mix the death-dealing potions," .... 283 

"The entire band of fiends rushed back to the castle," 290 

"Vile and grotesque beasts lifted their slimy heads," 297 

" Miss Sincere in the midst of her bitterest enemies," 316 

" ' I saw Belial and Fault-finder approach a home,' " 333 

xxi 



xxii ILLUSTRATIONS 

' ' ' The court has decided to grant a liill of divorcement,' " 352 ■ 

" ' Knees are calloused from the worship of other gods,' " 369 

" ' Tis Man-of-the- World !' Determination cried. ' He calls for help !' " 388 

"Tireless fiends sorted and labeled bribes/' 421 

"With face buried in the pillow, he wept bitterly," 440 

" But now an host of shining guards surrounded it." 457 

" ' I behold the Cross !' cried Man-of-the-AVorld," ' 476 

" The fire of His refining burst upon the City of Worldliness," . . . 493 
" ' For a thousand years thou shalt await the day of thy doom,' " . . 497 
" The lowly home where the glorified Christ had deigned to conie.'^ . 512 
" ' I saw that His hands were uplifted in benediction,' " 516 



Principal Characters in the Allegory 



SATAN — The archfiend, the enemy of man. 
A GUARDIAN ANGEL— On busmess for the King of Heaven. 
MISS SINCERE — A rich young woman, devoted to church work. 
MR. HYPOCRITE— Mayor of the City of Worldliness. 
EVANGELIST— A servant of God. 

MR. MAN-OF-THE-WORLD— Political boss of the City of AA^orldliness. 

REV. MR. GOOD— Pastor of the " Church of the Disciples." 

REV. MR. PLEASE- ALL -Pastor of the " Church of the Redeemer." 

DETERMINATION— A leader of pilgrims. 

WHOLE-SOUL — A fellow-worker with Determination. 

LIGHT HEART ^ 

PRESUMPTION > An empty-headed trio. 
INCREDULOUS J 

MISS FAITHFUL— A friend of Miss Sincere. 

MRS. HYPOCRITE— Wife of ^Ir. Hypocrite. 

MRS. MAN-OF-THE-WORLD— Wife of Mr. Man-of-the-World. 

WIDOW FAITH— An earnest worker in the church. 

MRS. GOOD -Wife of Rev. Mr. Good. 

DECEPTION ^ 

BELIAL ! , , , , 

^ . _ Y Satan's most trusted helpers. 

FAULTFINDER 

HERESY 

xxiii 



^^We view moral truths through the veil of 
allegories and parables, like so many pictures 
through a transparent glass ichich covers, but 
does not hide them. Some of the most important 
spiritucd sentiments are made easy to us by the 
most familiar sensible images. Thus does the 
truth, like the great Author of it, stand con- 
fessed in a visible shape, receive as it ivere a 
body, and become, if I may use the expression, 
incarnate.^' 

— Jekemiah Seed. 



xxiv 



Introduction 



Tlie author of this volume is a writer who has won hosts of 
friends and admirers by his excellent work, especially by his 
poems, which are widely read. After reading his gentle verse 
one would scarcely think of him in connection with a subject 
so matter-of-fact, and withal requiring so robust treatment, as 
the title of this book suggests. But poets have the gift of 
seeing deeply into things, and it is not incongruous to think of 
Mr. Chambers, even in his quiet and serene life, as capable of 
seeing a good deal of the evil there is in the world. 

That there is such evil no one will deny. The devil is not 
dead, nor has he withdrawn from activity in the affairs of the 
world. We are not to suppose that the title, ^'THE MODERN 
DEVIL," given to the Prince of Evil, implies that the devil 
who is in the field now is a new one as to his personality; the 
thought is that he is modernized as to his methods of activity. 
He is thoroughly up-to-date. He does not belong to that class 
of conservatives who believe that the old order never should 
be changed, that things should be done in the twentieth century 

XXV 



XXVI 



INTRODUCTION 



precisely as they were in the nineteenth, that innovations are 
essentially heresies. He believes in progress, in doing old work 
in new ways, in nsing new methods in these new years. So 
the modern devil of this volume is the familiar devil of history, 
who keeps in touch with the times. 

The book is a most serious one, treating its subject as one 
of grave importance. We dare not shut our eyes to the evil 
that is in the world. Nor may we keep ourselves out of the 
battle. We must be unquestionably on the right side in the 
conflict, and must strike valiant blows for the truth and for 
God, if we would not be disloyal to our Christian manhood and 
to Him whose we are and whom we serve. 

J. R. MILLER, D. D., 

Editor of "Forward." 



The Modern Devil 



THE MODERN DEVIL 

CHAPTER I 

The Bridge of Sighs 

"O may I join the choir invisible 
Of those immortal dead who live again ' 
In minds made better by their presence : live 
In pulses stirred to generosity, 
In deeds of daring rectitude, in scorn 
For miserable aims that end with self. 
In thoughts sublime that pierce the night like stars, 
And with their mild persistence urge man's search 
To vaster issues." 

— George Eliot. 

IT was near tlie close of a day spent amid the evils of the 
world, that I walked in the fields, seeking rest from care 
and its attendant worry and fear. At length, I came to a 
place where the soft air invited to rest and peace. Sleep, Death's 

twin, fell upon me like a benediction, and in that sleep I dreamed. 

29 



30 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



Let me. with halting words, tell the strange and wonderful vision 
which came to me there. 

I seemed to stand beside the bridge which separates Earth 
from the world invisible. Its majestic span stretched far across 
the abyss and lost itself in the shadows of the farther side. 

A GUARDIAN AXGEL FACES THE AXTAGOXIST OF SOULS 

As in my dream I gazed along the bridge, my eyes beheld an 
angel of majestic form, clothed in glittering apparel, and with a 
face more beautiful than I had ever seen. Then, in the light 
which streamed from this radiant fonn. I saw. lost in the deep 
shadows which lay beyond, a second presence as dark and menac- 
ing as the first was bright and glowing. Sinister and threatening, 
it seemed a veritable son of gloom, framed in darkness, and a 
shudder ran through me as I knew it for Satan, the Adversaiy, 
the Antagonist of Souls. 

^^Who ari thou, and what is thy errand here?'' demanded the 
Angel in clear, stem tones, as she stood erect and fearless before 
the shadowy teiTor. From the darkness there came in reply a 
voice at whose depth my whole frame shuddered. 

^'Onct I was known in Heaven as the Angel of Light," it said. 
^'Here, on Earth, men call me Satan. Dost thou know me now? 
Whatever thy puri30se may be. I am here to be thy adversaiy. for 
the Earth is mine, and men are my slaves and subjects." 

As I gazed, the darkness vanished and I saw the two standing 
in the shadow of a little knoll laced by shrubbery, behind which 
were hills and trees. A wind came through the tops of the trees 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



31 



and bent them and let in from al30ve a light which bathed both 
and cast its sheen along the grass touching their ver\^ feet. Then 
a great awe stole over me, and my breath came slowly as I 
opened my mind and gave my sonl again to see and hear. 

'''Get thee behind me, thon Evil One I Our paths must lie sep- 
arate!" came from the lips of the Angel. 

"Separate!" responded Satan, with a sinister laugh. "Thou 
hast not learned thy lesson well. Our paths shall lie together, 
and thou canst not escape my companionship. Shall I tell thee 
whither thy footsteps tend? It is towards the Hill-lands of 
Faith." 

"Such is my destination. Son of the Pit. But thy days are 
numbered, for the Lord of Heaven and Earth has decreed thy 
destmction and that thy dire purpose shall in no way prosper. 
It is mine to be the guardian angel of the good; it is mine to help 
them in their troubles, and to answer in the name of the King for 
all the promises he has made concerning those who walk in His 
ways." 

Shadows fell around me. and the Shining One and the Tempter 
vanished from my sight. I was alone with a new sense of tears 
and joy in things earthly. 

A VAST COMPANY CROSS THE BRIDGE 

A faint light now shone upon the bridge, and dimly I saw what 
seemed an endless multitude crossing its span and losing itself in 
the shadows which lay beyond. Ministering angels peopled this 
shadowy realm and their low-breathed sighs of pity for the woes 



32 



THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS 



of liuman hearts liad baptized this, the very threshold of their 
ministry, ''The Bridge of Sighs." 

''Whence journey this vast throng?" I cried aloud, for I 
scarcely realized the realm in which my life now seemed to have 
a part; and a voice, coming I knew not whence, replied: 

"These are the souls of those whose term on Earth has ended, 
and who are crossing the bridge under the escort of spirit 
guides. ' ' 

"Why do they wear robes of white!" I asked. 

"That is the mark of the kingdom to which they now belong. 
The All-father, having wrought their deliverance, has given to 
each this emblem; to them has come victor}^ Having laid down 
the burden of life, they are going to receive the crown," was the 
reply. 

Leaning forward, I peered into the distance to see who com- 
posed this multitude, but was powerless to behold aught save the 
moving procession and in its midst the Shining One, for it was 
she who had answered me. 

"Kind Angel," I asked, "who compose this throng?" 

"Seest thou not?" she replied. 

"Yes," I answered, "but not clearly." 

"The aged, and those of middle years, and even little children 
are there," was the reply: "and to many of them the touch of the 
world was unkind, ' ' she added. 

' ' Whence came they ? " 

"They have been gathered from all lands and all peoples." 
As she spoke I heard a sudden burst of jubilant song, and lis- 
tened to learn its source and theme. 



THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS 



33 



^^Tliis is the Pilgrims' song," said the Angel. 

To those of Earth the volume of this mighty chorus was lost, 
but to me, in my vision, it rolled on and on, and thrilled and 
throbbed with hallowed melody, and then died away in silence 
and was lost in the immeasurable distance beyond. Echo and 
re-echo vibrated in harmony, and as I listened to catch the song, 
the Angel repeated to me the words of praise. 

THE pilgrims' SONG 

^Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals 
thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy 
blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 
and hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall 
reign on the earth.' " 

''The Angel Chorus are answering," said the ministering 
spirit. ''Hark!" 

Such music as the world has not heard since Christ was bom 
in Bethlehem, now greeted my ears. It came from the vast dis- 
tance beyond the abyss, as from an abode of heavenly delight; 
a pealing antiphon from a myriad of holy voices. 

THE ANGEL CHORUS 

'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and 
riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and 
blessing.' 

' These are they which came out of great tribulation, 



34 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of 
the Lamb.' 

SATAN APPEARS AGAIN 

As I listened with straining ears, the flood of song sank, and a 
shadow fell over bridge and shore, bnt ere it closed around me, 
the form of Satan appeared again, and with his the dim figures 
of other demons met my eyes. They spoke in low tones, but my 
ears were opened to hear their words. 

''The task before me is no light one," said Satan with a gleam 
of evil in his eyes. "The messenger from above is strong with 
the power of the Most High, and her work will be difficult to over- 
come. She is here to rescue one whom I would give much to win. 
We shall have to be as wise as serpents and wear a guise as fair 
as her own, if we would succeed." 

As he spoke I saw the Guardian Angel take a roll from her 
girdle, from which she read: 

" ' To open their eyes, and to tuna them from darkness to 

light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may re- 
ceive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are 
sanctified by faith that is in me. ' ' ' 

The Prince of Darkness listened with frowning brow. 

'' 'Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not 
pass away, ' ' ' she continued. 

A pallor covered the face of the Antagonist, and a trembling 
seized his form as these words fell upon his ears. He and his 
followers seemed to shrink deeper into the shadows, and from 
their depths I heard him, in tones of deepest malevolence, swear 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



35 



to thwart the mission of the God-sent messenger. Then he ad- 
vanced towards her with a threatening gesture. 

THE ANGEL DENOUNCES SATAN 

Offended by his approach, the Angel thrust forth her hand as 
though to brush aside a loathsome presence, and cried out: 

Demon of evil and of guile, thou art a toward in the light of 
virtue and of truth. With all thy show of power, thou art weak 
and impotent against the purposes of the Almighty. 

''I know thee and thy vile aims, and say to thee in the name 
of the King of Heaven, that all thy evil designs shall be as chaff 
driven before the winds of His might. Do what thou wilt, thou 
canst not win from me those to whom I have come. I abhor and 
detest thee.'' 

Looking into his evil eyes, the Guardian Angel extended her 
right arm towards him as one pronouncing a sentence of doom. 

''The word of my God is established. The Church of the Re- 
deemed is safe, for the very gates of Hell shall not prevail against 
it. Neither shall a single believing soul be won by thee; for the 

Saviour said: ' No man is able to pluck them out of my 

Father's hand.' " 

With her arm still extended, her form towered above the 
shrinking demon as she cried: 

''Begone! Eest assured that those committed to my charge 
shall receive counsel concerning thee, and of them all, not one 
shall fail of an entrance at last into the City of God." 



36 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



THE ANGEL PASSES TO HER MINISTRY 

As the niglit deepened, I saw the Guardian xlngel pass on, and 
upon her fell a light which spread through the darkness, out- 
lining the Hill-lands of Faith, while it clothed this ministrant 
with a brightness above that of the sun. As she moved onward, 
a number, also in shining array, joined her, and crossing a hill 
that lay before them, the company came to a great city, in the 
midst of which the Guardian Angel pitched her invisible tent. 
In that city dwelt the human soul for whose guidance she had 
come. 

A SCENE OF TEMPTING REVELRY 

In my dream, which heretofore had led me into the presence of 
angels and demons and of souls whose way lay across the Bridge 
of Sighs, I was now taken to earthly scenes and shown men and 
women. The forms of the Guardian Angel and the Prince of 
Evil were still visible at inters^als, but those whom I now beheld 
knew not that the powers of Heaven and Hell were contending for 
the master}^ of their souls. 

Before me rose a splendid mansion in that part of the city 
into which the Angel had made her way. Though the night was 
far advanced, a brilliant light streamed from its windows, while 
the sound of music and revelry could be heard within. Men and 
women, richly dressed, whirled through the dance, or sat at card- 
tables, or, on pleasure bent, passed and repassed through the well- 
appointed rooms. 

Satan was present, invisibly tempting those who shrank from 



The MoiU'va DpviI. Coynjririht, 190-1, In/ W. W. Houston. 

''Miss Sincere was utterly out of sympathy with her 
surroundings." 

o7 See p. 30 



THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS 



39 



the wine-cup or other enticements of the scene. To my dreaming 
eyes he was plainly visible, now whispering in the ear of one who 
held back from his evil suggestions, now lightly pressing the 
arm of one whose hand withdrew reluctantly from the sparkling 
wine, in every way leading and instigating to evil and vice. 
There were those present who required the dance and the wine- 
cup, the pleasings of sensuous music, and the play of light and 
color over all, to stimulate their jaded senses; and others were 
there who would have blushed for shame to have had the world 
know they had been participants in the evening's festivities. 

Liquors and cordials were pressed upon the guests by attentive 
servants, and men and women tempted each other to further sin, 
with wine that creamed in amber light, or sparkled blood-red as 
some modem Delilah pledged her chosen Samson; or Faust, in 
twentieth-century evening dress, peered into the blue of Mar- 
guerite's eyes. None saw the leer of Satan as he regarded his 
tools and their victims. 

Upon a couch in one of the luxurious parlors sat a young lady 
who seemed utterly out of place in such a scene. Honesty, sincer- 
ity, and virtue could be seen in her beautiful face, and the fur- 
tive glances of doubt and dismay with which she viewed the 
frivolity and dissipation around her, showed that she was utterly 
out of sympathy with her surroundings. 

Miss Sincere, as this young lady was named, had been induced 
to attend the entertainment in ignorance of its character, at the 
request of Mr. Hypocrite and his wife. To her, Mr. Hypocrite 
seemed a model of all that was upright and good, and his remark 
that ''none but the very select of the city would be there" had 

2 — The Modern Devil. 



40 



TKE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



induced lier to set aside her fears as to the character of the enter- 
tainment and consent to accompany him and his wife. Her feel- 
ings now were those of regret at her complaisance and of wonder 
that she conld have been so deceived. 

^^See to it that ever^'body thinks well of yon, and under this 
cover make the most money and have the best time you can, ' ' was 
Mr. Hypocrite's motto, and it was one likely to prove dangerous 
to so artless a soul as that of Miss Sincere. 

It was she in whose aid the Guardian Angel had come to Earth, 
and certainly her presence was necessary to combat the wiles of 
the plausible agent Satan had employed. 

Mr. Hypocrite was not one to argTie with an opponent. His 
policy was to agree with all he met in a spirit of affability, reach- 
ing his aims by covert means while outwardly friendly. 

^'A man who flatters a woman hopes either to find her a fool, 
or to make her one," but on the evening in question the plati- 
tudes of Mr. Hypocrite seemed to have no effect upon his fair 
companion. The company comprised society notables, and the 
diversions of the evening were in no way different from those of 
the ''Smart Set," but in her soul Miss Sincere heard a voice of 
condemnation, which, though she did not realize it at the time, 
was a whisper from the Guardian Angel, who. perceived by none, 
was arousing a sense of wrong-doing in her thoughts. 

''"Why was it, Miss Sincere, that you seemed so out of sym- 
pathy with the company this evening?" said Mr. Hypocrite as 
they were on their way to the young lady's home. "If you go 
into society you must leam to excuse certain things to which 
one is unaccustomed in a quieter life. There was much hilarity 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



41 



this evening, I admit, and no doubt more wine-drinking than you 
are accustomed to, but these things are done in the best society, 
and we must put up with them. ' ' 

'^I do not agree with you," said Miss Sincere with great ear- 
nestness. ' ^ They may be social customs, but they are not Chris- 
tian customs. I do not see how one can excuse such acts before 
the tribunal of conscience. " 

''That seems very true. Miss Sincere," replied Mr. Hypocrite, 
''but most of those present to-night are members of the leading 
churches of the city. You should not be so severe on what is 
really innocent pleasure. No harm was intended ; and the relaxa- 
tion afforded by the evening's entertainment will the better pre- 
pare us for larger responsibilities. You will think better of it 
all, I am convinced, in the morning. ' ' 

So they parted. Mr. Hypocrite knew that Miss Sincere was 
right in her condemnation of the night's events, and was also 
aware that his own words had been chosen for the purpose of 
covering their evil tendency. He found much pleasure in the 
society of Miss Sincere, and with the aid of his wife hoped to 
"liberalize" her ideas as to the pleasures of the world. 

The hours until morning seemed endless to the sleepless eyes 
of Miss Sincere, for the Good Angel, close by her side, was re- 
vealing to her the full meaning of the wrong-doing she had wit- 
nessed. "If sinners entice thee, consent thou not," she whis- 
pered. "Why trouble yourself about a little evening of social 
enjoyment?" suggested Satan; and so between the two, the one 
seeking to save and the other to ruin, the soul of Miss Sincere 
was torn and distracted. 



42 



THE BEIDGE OF SIGHS 



In absolute dejection, caused by the shame of having even un- 
wittingly participated in the events of the evening, she arose, and, 
as the bright glory of the rising sun shone through the latticed 
window of her apartment and kissed her tear-stained face, she 
knelt in prayer with the gentle hand of the Guardian Angel rest- 
ing upon her head. 

"God give to this, my charge, the victory. Suffer not the 
Antagonist through the soft words of his dupes to win Thy child 
from the heavenly way,'' was the prayer of the ministering one, 
and it was heard at the Throne, for 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us 
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 

In a moment Miss Sincere arose and walked to the window, 
and, looking out upon the scene which was being quickened every- 
where by the energies of a new day, found in her heart a peace 
like the glory of the calm which rests upon the face of Nature 
after a tempest has passed. The Grace of the Lord in whom she 
trusted pervaded her soul. With folded hands and eyes raised to 
Heaven, she repeated to herself, ' ' I could not live in peace if I put 
the shadow of a wilful sin between myself and God. ' ' 

The Guardian Angel smiled as she marked this conquest of a 
soul from sin, and beheld the holy light of reconciliation on the 
face of the one she had come to guard and save. 



CHAPTER II 



The Cross on the Lonely Hill 

"In those holy fields 
Over whose acres walk'd those blessed feet, 
Which, fourteen hundred years ago, were nail'd, 
For our advantage, on the bitter cross." 

— Shakespeare, "Henry IV." 

IN my vision it was morning. I drank deeply of the health- 
ful air, and steeped myself in the glorious beauties of a 
new day. Then I knelt upon the sward in token of deep 
reverence, and prayed that to me might fall the highest sense of 
the unalterable existence beyond Earth ^s rim. I prayed for an 
enlarged vision; for a deeper insight and a broader hope; and as 
I prayed I seemed to live in a realm of holy trust and exaltation. 

As I rose I heard voices ; and then muffled sounds, as when men 
beat and tear the bosom of old Earth, came on the wandering wind 
which bent the grass-blades and the leaves, and filled my mind 
with wonder. I turned toward the place whence they issued, and 
walked through the soft, warm air till I could look along the val- 
ley where the sky seemed upheld by two walls of green. 

Through the long vista the eye could discern, though far in the 

43 



44 



THE CEOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



distance, a bare and lonely hill, which my soul told me was the 
hill called Calvary, where once upon the cross hnng the Crucified 
One; and again I prayed, asking that there might be given to 
me the meaning of what I was to see and hear. 

THE PATH TO THE CROSS 

From where I stood, a path led down to the floor of the valley, 
and when near its level I paused, for I could see an army of la- 
borers, digging up and destroying the well-worn road which led 
toward the Cross on the lonely hill, transforming it, and the beau- 
teous plain on either hand, into a quagmire — a veritable morass. 

Seated where his eye could sweep the scene, I saw Satan, the 
arch-enemy of man, in human guise, and as I looked he rose to 
greet one who approached him. To my surprise I recognized the 
newcomer as Mr. Hypocrite, whom I had recently seen in so 
different a place. The two met with the familiarity of old 
friends. 

''You seem to have changed your line of work,'^ said Hypo- 
crite, pointing to the torn and scarred valley. 

''Not at all," responded Satan; "I have done this work before, 
and with a large measure of success. One Bunyan, a writer whom 
I would like to repay for the mischief he has done, has told of 
my former exploits in his pestilent book, 'The Pilgrim's Pro- 
gress.' " 

"I have read it, ' ' rejoined Hypocrite. ' ' He told of the ' Slough 
of Despond,' the mire into which Christian and Pliable fell." 
**Just so," replied Satan. " 'Here, therefore, they wallowed 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



45 



for a time, being grievously bedaubed with the dirt: and Chris- 
tian, because of the burden that was on his back, began to sink 
in the mire.' I gave him no small trouble, though, if he did 
finally escape me. 

SATAN TURNS THE PLAIN INTO A BOG 

am working here with the same end in view,'' he went on. 
''These workmen of mine have transformed the plain into a bog, 
and the path by which multitudes were accustomed to reach Cal- 
vary, I have caused to be destroyed. That place of the cross 
stands in my way. I cannot destroy it, but I hope to render it 
more difficult of approach. 

''The work and name of that man are the weightiest matters 
with which I am concerned. The people of this vast world look 
with steady hope toward the cross on yon lonely hill. I seek to 
put a stop to their pilgrimages, as I did in the days when Chris- 
tian fell into the mire, and Pliable turned back to the City of 
Destruction. ' ' 

As they talked the work ended. Satan smiled as he saw the 
well-beaten path by which the pilgrims were wont to reach Cal- 
vary wholly obliterated at this point. One detail of his plan re- 
mained, and that was quickly executed. A thick mist was cast 
over the plain to hide the hill-top where Jesus died, and so form 
an additional barrier to those who sought to pass through the 
valley. 

"Withdraw!" he cried to those who had wrought for him dur- 



46 



THE CEOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



ing the night. ' ' Your work is complete. Withdraw ! ' ' The host 
of workmen vanished from view as if they had been things of 
vapor. 

MR. HYPOCRITE AND DETERMINATION MEET 

And now I saw that a great company of pilgrims were coming, 
and that Hypocrite hurried on to meet them. 

"How far is it to the Cross on the lonely hill?" inquired one 
whose name was Determination. He seemed the leader of the 
company. 

"About a mile on a direct line through the valley," responded 
Hypocrite with a covert smile. It was a shadow of that on Sa- 
tan's dark face which peered in dim outline over Hypocrite's 
shoulder. 

"A great mist conceals the path and the way is new to many of 
us, ' ' said Determination. ' ^ But we must reach the hill of Calvary 
whatever betide. The Lord of Mercy be with us and aid us. ' ' 

At this moment the vast company burst forth in song, and the 
great volume of their voices could be heard far away. 

"In the cross of Christ I glory, 
Towering o'er the wrecks of time; 
All the light of sacred story 
Gathers round its head sublime." 

THE PILGRIMS SINK IN THE MIRE 

On came the pilgrim company half lost in the mist, but soon a 
cry of despair arose from those in advance. They began to sink 



THE CEOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



47 



in the mire of tlie bog, and the mist was so dense that it was with 
much difficulty their companions could reach them to offer the 
hand of rescue. Loud were their cries of distress, and as dismal 
as had been those of Christian and Pliable when they were in like 
trouble. 

But as Determination was endeavoring to peer into the mist, 
hoping that perchance he might see the Cross, the hopeful words 
' ' Hail Pilgrim ! ' ' came to his ears, and, clad in white apparel, her 
face beaming with confidence, he saw the Guardian Angel ap- 
proaching through the mist. 

THE WAY TO THE CROSS CANNOT BE CLOSED 

Despair not," she said, "for no foe can long close the way 
which leads to the Cross. This is but an old trick of the Antag- 
onist. Venture not into the mist for peril lies that way. Take 
this. ' ' So saying she placed in his hands a glass of a form I had 
never seen. 

^ ' This is the Glass of Faith, ' ' she said, ' ' point it yonder, ' ^ and 
as she spoke she indicated the direction with her finger. "Look 
through it with trust in thy heart, and thou shalt behold what 
thou seekest." 

Determination did as he was told and a glad smile lighted up 
his face. 

^ ' Wonderful ! wonderful ! " he cried. ^ ' I see the Cross through 
the heart of the mist. Yonder it stands upon the Hill. Holy 
One, wilt thou not come with us and guide us to the sacred place 
we seek 1 ' ' 



48 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



''Nay,'^ replied tlie Angel. ^'My errand is now done and I 
must be gone. Thou needest only to turn thy glass to the right 
and all will be well. ' ' 

Again Determination hastened to do as he was bidden. 

i i There thou wilt find a highway of the King, ' ' the Angel con- 
tinued. ''No hand of man or demon hath power to destroy it. 
Lead thither thy company and thou shalt find the Cross. Stand 
thou strong. Be not afraid. Blessed are they that trust in the 
Lord.'' 

''The way grows clear," said Determination. "But I would 
fain know. Blessed One, who thou art. ' ' 

' ' I am one sent to prepare the way before the face of pilgrims, ' ' 
said the Angel, and with this she vanished. 

THE SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS DISSOLVES THE MIST 

As the throng took up its march again, the sun of righteous- 
ness broke through the clouds and dissolved the mist which had 
heretofore concealed the King's Highway. Led by Determina- 
tion, the pilgrims turned to the right, where the highway was 
clearly visible, and headed for the Cross on the Hill, now plainly 
in view; and as they journeyed they joyfully sang: 

"Every day is a fresh beginning, 

Every morn is a world made new; 
You who are weary of sorrow and sinning, 

Here is a beautiful hope for you, 
A hope for me and a hope for you. 



THE CROSS OiSr THE LONELY HILL 



49 



"Every day is a fresh beginning, 

Listen, my soul, to the glad refrain, 
And spite of sorrow and olden sinning. 

Troubles before you and threatening pain. 
Take heart with the day and begin again." 

Satan, who had led the foremost ranks into the bog, now ap- 
peared again, full of anger at the failure of his plans. Hypo- 
crite would have accosted him, but with frowning brow he van- 
ished from sight. 

But despite all I had seemed to see in my dream, I well knew 
that Hypocrite had not, in person, conversed with the Prince of 
Darkness, but that he was present in spirit only. What I had 
beheld was an allegory in which the nature of the time server 
stood revealed, for I knew it was not Satan's way to make his 
wiles evident to his human agents and dupes, but to lead them to 
destruction while they seemed to obey the impulses of their own 
souls. 

UP-TO-DATE RELIGIOUS LITERATURE 

Even as I gazed upon the rising mist and heard the echoes of 
the pilgrims' song, I seemed transported to the city of my last 
night's vision, there to behold Hypocrite doing Satan's work as 
a blind and willing agent. Still intent on converting Miss Sin- 
cere to his ' ' liberal ' ' views, he obeyed a secret suggestion from 
the Tempter of Souls. 

''If you would weaken that woman's puritan strictness, try 
her with some up-to-date religious literature." 

Hypocrite accepted the seeming thought with a hopeful smile. 



50 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



Selecting a volume from his library lie sought her home, wonder- 
ing a little how her untutored soul would meet the insidious 
views of this artfully written work. 

The book had been written by one whose mind Satan had 
biased, and as Hypocrite turned the leaves, he was himself half 
convinced, for it laid claims to recent "discoveries^^ of potent 
meaning and spoke learnedly of new found " myths, ^' while de- 
claring many of the precious tenets held by Christians to be un- 
grounded and not worthy of credence. 

''This," he said, as he presented the volume to Miss Sincere, 
"is a book which I know you will find readable and interesting. 
It is exceedingly popular and is said to solve many of the vexed 
religious questions of the day. I must say that it has served to 
broaden my ideas upon certain matters of religion on which I fear 
I have been narrow and illiberal." 

I had watched the destruction of the path to the cross, and Sa- 
tan's discomfiture at the miscarriage of his plans, with intense 
interest. It was now high noon, and the words of the prayer I 
had breathed in the splendors of the rosy dawn came again to me, 
and I thanked the All-father for what I was learning this day. 

THE CREED OF THE PIT 

A new scene now appeared before my eyes. I could see Miss 
Sincere reading the book which she had received from her false 
adviser, and that its arguments seemed to deeply move her. 

"Can this be so?" she asked aloud. "If this presentation be 
true, then the faith of my childhood and even that of my later 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



51 



years, are but dead leaves of thought and superstition. They 
were simple and reverent and my soul still draws warmly to them, 
but 

She read on, and the teachings of the alluring pages became 
poison in her veins. She saw the sacrifice for sin upon Calvary 
distorted by new ideas. She read that a belief in philosophical 
principles instead of in the Sacred Person was the higher view; 
that religious faith was, after all, only a result of the educational 
processes and childish beliefs of centuries past. 

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL APPEARS 

Doubt, the sequence of a disturbed faith, cloud'ed the vision of 
her soul; and the tenderness and strength of her old time trust, 
for the moment seemed to lose their power. 

Fortunately, there was one nearby who saw the struggle into 
which this pure soul had been cruelly cast. This was the Angel 
whose mission it was to guide and deliver. 

'^Why are these marks of sadness upon thy face!" asked the 
Angel. 

'^The cares and idle thoughts of the day have left their traces 
upon me,'' replied the innocent girl. 

'^Ah, His more than that: thou art filled with an inward un- 
rest. Tell me thy trouble. Tell it all. Has the vision from the 
Hilltop been dimmed this dayT' 

Miss Sincere sighed, and her eyes fell upon the book in her 
hand. 



52 



THE CKOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



THE ANGEL EXPOSES MR. HYPOCRITE 

*^Wliat book hast tliou theref asked the Angel, seeking to 
open the door of her heart. 

Miss Sincere wept as she told how Hypocrite had placed in 
her hands a book which had disturbed the qnietnde of her faith. 

^^Then its words are not safe for thee to read, dear child. The 
Evil One hath poisoned the mind of him who wrote that specious 
work, and he has caused it to be given to thee by one who is not 
worthy of such friendship as thine." 

Miss Sincere brushed back a tear, as she looked into the clear 
calm eyes of the Angel of Deliverance. 

^'I cannot think Mr. Hypocrite would seek to place harm in the 
way of my soul, ' ' she replied. ' ' He is a seeker after truth him- 
self, and is far too kindly a man to wish to do evil to any one.'* 

''Be not so sure of this, my child. Trust my insight rather 
than thine own. 'Let him who thinketh he standeth take heed 
lest he fall,' " said the Angel voice. "It is the policy of the 
Antagonist to employ agents whom the soul least suspects. In 
my missions to earth I have seen much of his evil methods. The 
unheeding and the innocent are always in peril from his ruses.'' 

"But tell me of the book," she went on. "What is its char- 
acter and what are its teachings I ' ' 

FALSE CHRISTS SHALL ARISE 

Then Miss Sincere told the Angel the story of her inward trials 
during that day, trials which not only disturbed, but robbed her 
soul of its peace. 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



53 



'*And this unholy book was the cause," said the Angel. ^'Put 
it away and hear from my lips the inspired counsel of the Mas- 
ter. 

'If any man shall say unto you, lo, here is Christ, or there; 
believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs and false 
prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders, insomuch that 
if it were possible, they should deceive the very elect. Behold 
I have told you before. ' " 

''Did the Master speak those words!" asked the troubled girl. 

"Yes, the Master spake them just as He went to the Hill of 
Calvary to die for you and for all who seek salvation," replied 
the Angel. 

Having thus spoken, the Angel knelt with the trembling girl, 
and prayed that the sweet vision of the Cross might be restored 
to this drifting Christian, and that the Antagonist of Souls should 
no longer disturb her faith. 

THE GOLDEN SUNSHINE COMES 

Thrusting the book aside with contempt, Miss Sincere, deeply 
moved by the words of the angelic visitor, took up her Bible and 
opened it at hazard. Her eyes fell upon these consoling words: 

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on 
Thee; because he trusteth in Thee." 

"This is the guide book for Christians," said the Angel. 
' ' Spurn all others that would, in any way, uproot thy faith in its 
hallowed and trusted truths." 

Grazing deeply into the eyes of the girl, until the pure soul 



54 



THE CEOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



within lay fully revealed, the Angel ministrant saw that her in- 
ward vision was now clear; and then, with all the rest of the 
scene that had held me spell-bonnd, she vanished from my sight. 

Twice that day had I seen Satan's cherished plans defeated, 
and while I mnsed npon these matters, I was taken in my vision 
to a vast and gloomy hall in his castle where the King of Evil sat 
surrounded by those to whom he entrusted the carrying out of his 
unholy schemes against those who looked for life eternal through 
the Eedeemer of Mankind. 

SATAN SITS IN COUNCIL 

He had now thrown off the guise of man and sat in all his demon 
majesty, — the dark and terrible compeller of sin and foe of virtue. 

Those around him were of low and impish aspect, and looked 
with awe and reverence upon their gloom-surrounded sovereign. 
There was grandeur in his words, but the language of Pandemon- 
ium is not for earthly ears, yet I will translate it as best I can 
in words of our common speech. 

'^All has gone amiss this day," said Satan from his throne. 
' ' Strongly have we wrought, but the powers above have baffled us 
at every point.'' 

^^Our toil, I fear, has been for naught," responded one high in 
Satan's favor. "We obeyed thy command and instigated Hypo-- 
crite, that foolish wise-man who unknowingly does thy work, to 
buy freely of alluring but unsettling books, and place them in the 
hands of certain young people who are yet in the mist of doubt, 
but that pestilent book, the Bible, has undone all our work. ' ' 



THE CEOSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



57 



advised Hypocrite to place a certain volume in the hands 
of Miss Sincere," rejoined Satan. ''He did so, but that meddling 
messenger from above, who seems sent to keep her in charge, 
swept the effect of its teachings from her mind. Not only that, 
but she sought to make her distrust my useful agent and friend, 
Hypocrite." 

''I am sorely vexed," he went on, ''by the evangelistic work 
that is now so active in the churches. It robs us of many whom 
we might have employed in the work of unsettling the minds of 
men. But, ' ' he added thoughtfully, ' ' the Angel who guided the 
pen of old John Bunyan in Bedford jail, did me more harm than 
a multitude of modern dispensers of Gospel truth. ' ' 

THE DEVIL WILL NEVER FORGIVE LUTHER 

"The Angel at the Diet of Augsburg, many years ago," said 
one of the chief demons of the Pit, "the one who went around 
with Martin Luther, that man of mischief, was responsible for 
the vast damage which was then done our cause. ' ' 

"I know it too well," answered Satan. "It was she who gave 
Luther the power to open the pages of the Bible to the common 
people, — a bit of meddling which has robbed my kingdom of 
multitudes of souls." 

" 'Justification by faith,' was a mighty bomb-shell thrown 
into our camp," rejoined the other. "With the Cross held on 
high before the eyes of men. Christians are multiplying far and 
wide." 

"The conflict before us is to be a long and hard one," an- 

4 — The Modern Devil. 



58 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



swered His Satanic Majesty. ''We need to be more watchful 
and aggressive than ever. Above all, we must seek to modify 
those doctrines of the Cross, and for this purpose, we shall have 
to do much diplomatic work among the ministers. Let that be 
part of your future labor, for in that direction lies our hopes of 
success. 

MR. HYPOCRITE IS MADE AN OFFICER OF THE CHURCH 

In a moment more my dream brought me from Satan's hall of 
council to the city again, but the Prince of Evil was before me, 
and I saw him standing beside Mr. Hypocrite, with face and form 
as though one of this world. Hypocrite was much elated in man- 
ner, and after a brief greeting to Satan, who seemed to him one of 
his cherished friends, he said in a tone of triumph : 

''Congratulate me! I have just left a trustee of our church 
who informed me I had been elected one of its officers." 

' ' Treasurer, I hope, ' ' said Satan with a mocking leer. 

"You are right. I have been elected its treasurer.'' 

"I should like to have such a position myself," rejoined Satan. 
' ' There ought to be good pickings there for a smart fellow like 
you, ' ' he added reflectively. ' ' Judas, if I remember rightly, was 
the first church treasurer. ' ' 

"Come now, don't play off your stale jokes on me," exclaimed 
Hypocrite. "By the way, do you remember that little saint, 
Miss Sincere, to whom you introduced me f I have been trying to 
wean her from her narrow ways and to put a stop to this madness 
of evangelism, but I confess that I have not been able to stem the 



THE CROSS ON THE LONELY HILL 



59 



tide. The activity of the church grows in spite of all I can say or 
do." 

Wesley, Whitefield, Moody, and all of their followers in more 
recent years, have been active agents in that work," said the 
seeming agent of heresy, ' ' but I trust to the powers aiding us to 
defeat them yet." So saying, he walked away with a wicked 
smile upon his face. 

Not dreaming to whom he had been speaking, Hypocrite kept 
on his way to the prayer meeting, where he stood beside Miss 
Sincere and, smiling to himself in disdain, joined in the magnifi- 
cent song of victory to be achieved by the Church Militant. 

"Onward Christian soldiers, 
Marching as to war. 
With the cross of Jesus 
Going on before." 



CHAPTER III 



The Broken Down Altars 

"More things are wrought by prayer 
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice 
Rise like a fountain for me night and day. 
For what are men better than sheep or goats 
That nourish a blind life within the brain, 
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer 
Both for themselves and those who call them friend? 
For so the whole round earth is every way 
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God." 

— Tennyson, "Idyls of the King." 

MORNING liad broken, tliougli I knew it not, when I 
arose from the cushions of the tent in which I found 
myself and upon which I had slept the sleep of peace 
and comfort. I thrust aside the curtained door and stepped out 
into the light of a perfect day. 

The sun burned in the sky. The yellowing wheat, fringed with 
scarlet poppies, was full of a luxurious sense of growth; near by 
was heard the tinkle of falling water, and the morning song of a 
happy bird. 

Rapt in the fullness of the moment, I prayed with an expansion 
60 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTABS 



61 



of mind, and felt my thought widen to receive something beyond 
the previous revelations of my vision. 

EVANGELIST COMES FROM THE EASTERN HILLS 

Looking out toward the Eastern Hills, I saw the approach of 
a stranger. The land appeared a friendly one, and so, with no 
sense of fear, I went forth to meet him. 

As he drew near I saw a man of kindly demeanor and patri- 
archal appearance. Gray hair in abundance covered his head and 
rested upon his shoulders, while a beard of snowy whiteness fell 
upon his breast. His face was that of a saint. 

^ ' The Lord be with thee, ' ' he said, bowing in salutation. 

^^And with thee," I replied. 

Then there came to me these words of inspiration: ' 'Be not for- 
getful to entertain strangers : for thereby some have entertained 
angels unawares," and I said: 

' ' Thou seemest to have come a long way. Wilt thou not rest in 
my tent and partake of such fare as I can offer thee?" 

^'I thank thee, child of God," he replied, ''I shall be glad to 
break bread with thee;" so saying, he entered the tent and seated 
himself. 

As we sat at the meal I set forth for him, I inquired the object 
of his visit. 

''Art thou a stranger here?" was his reply to my question. 

"Yes," I rejoined. "To-day mine eyes have for the first time 
rested upon the scene before us; but tell me who thou art and for 
what purpose thou hast come." 



62 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



The old man leaned back upon the cushions and looked with 
eyes of deep observation into my face. A moment of silence fol- 
lowed; then he spoke. 

EVANGELIST DECLARES HIMSELF 

am known as Evangelist, and am come hither to guide God's 
children toward the Homeland. Hast thou not heard of my work 
hitherto?'' 

^ ^ I do not recall thy work or thy name, ' ' I replied. 

^'Surely thou rememberest the journey of Christian, of whom 
John Bunyan discourses so eloquently I ' ' 

"Can it be that thou art the one who pointed out to him the 
way to the 'Wicket Gate'? Well I remember that wondrous tale," 
I answered. 

"I am the same," continued Evangelist, ''and the message I 
carry has been a simple one through all these years. The plain 
words of Jesus — those promises and comforts indispensable — 
have been the oil and wine which I have long dispensed for the 
wounds of humanity." 

"Thine is a blessed office, friend Evangelist," I said, "but 
what has brought thee hither, and what work wilt thou do in this 
land?" 

' ' Listen, and I will tell thee the burden of my heart, ' ' the old 
man replied. ' ' I am deeply grieved at the broken-down altars in 
the homes of Christians. The children of God have grown care- 
less regarding prayer, and Satan is pleased. The old-time altar 
in the home has been battered down by the materialism of the 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



63 



age, and well you should know that the Master's rule cannot be 
thus set aside without sorrow and loss of peace." 

With these words, he opened a book which he carried, and, 
laying his linger upon a page, spoke as follows: 

' ' Thine eyes are better than mine ; read. ' ' 

I took the book and read aloud these words : 

'When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou 
hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy 
Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. ' " 

''Such prayer," said Evangelist, "was the secret of power with 
the Saviour, and with the sages of this world. If a man lack wis- 
dom let him ask it of God. One whose life has been spent in win- 
ning souls for the Master has well said, that 'men are growing 
so prosperous that they are drifting away from God. The very 
atmosphere we breathe is against Christ. Very many preachers 
to-day are not preaching the warm-hearted spirit of the Word 
of God.' 

"So far as a mortal can," he continued, "I am come to aid 
the Angel whom thou didst behold at the bridge. Hidden in 
^ the shades, I there saw thee, and knew that a vision of the Lord 
' was upon thee. We shall meet again, my son, but now, refreshed 
by thy hospitality, I go to minister to one upon whom sickness 
has laid a heavy hand. The Lord bless thee and keep thee. ' ' 

IN Satan's council-chamber 

As Evangelist spoke and then went on his way, the scene van- 



64 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTAES 



islied, and, as though borne on mighty wings I was carried to 
where the Archfiend sat in counciL 

Familiar as I had grown with his appearance, I could see that 
the Enemy of Mankind was sore at heart. His first words re- 
vealed the cause. 

^'We have work before us. There has lately come into these 
parts one who has long been among my most persistent enemies. 

^'Is it not an old man of striking aspect, who has several times 
been seen in the valley between Calvary and the Hill of Faith ? ' ' 
asked one of his trusted attendants. 

SATAN FEARS THE GOOD GRAY PROPHET 

' ' That is the man. His name is Evangelist, and a troublesome 
fellow we are likely to find him. He is noted for his power to 
guide men past the pitfalls of sin and to reach their hearts with 
his searching words. " 

^^What work is he here to do, King and Master? Teach us 
how to combat this new enemy. ' ^ 

''He is going from house to house rebuilding the altars we 
caused to be thrown down," replied Satan. "Since he came 
here many prayers are ascending to the Throne above. It is this 
we must combat. Our work just now, is to discourage faith in 
prayer and to bring about carelessness concerning it. This we 
must accomplish if we would defeat Evangelist. 

' ' Suggest to Christians that they do not need to give so much 
time to prayer as did their fathers. Whisper covertly in their 
ears that it is folly to take time from their business, to pray, and 
that it is far wiser for those who have toiled through the day to 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



65 



spend their evenings in rest and recreation, than to weary them- 
selves with church work and prayers. Be vigilant and cunning, 
and many souls shall be ours. Away to your work!^' 

SATAN VISITS MR. HYPOCRITE 

Like a flight of ill-omened birds the fiendish host sped swiftly 
to sow* the seeds of evil counsel with the hope of reaping a har- 
vest of sin-laden souls. Satan quickly followed, his goal being 
the home of Hypocrite, whom he had found so able and willing an 
agent. As before, he bore the form and figure of Mr. Agnostic, 
one of Hypocrite's most cherished friends. Entering, he found 
him reading, with a perplexed countenance, a printed tract. 

^^What have you there, friend Hypocrite!" asked the dis- 
guised fiend. ^ ^ There is something sanctimonious in the look of 
that paper. ' ' 

There is a troublesome old fanatic here named Evangelist," 
was the reply, '^who is making trouble in our church. This is 
one of the nonsensical tracts which he is sowing broadcast. It is 
full of played-out ideas regarding private and family prayer 
which would rob us of our spare time. The man is making mis- 
chief, and a number of souls, heretofore good enough, are already 
growing stupidly sanctimonious." 

*^One would think that people of sense would not so easily be 
led into this folly," suggested Satan. 

^'I don't know that the fellow is a genuine patriarch, but his 
views are those of the old time saints. He is swaying the minds 
of hundreds of our people; some of them of high social standing." 



66 



THE BE0IO]N-I)0WN ALTAES 



' ' You speak to the point, ' ' said Satan. ' ' I have had my eye on 
the old fanatic and have been watching his work. The rascal 
has a glib and insinuating tongue. It is only a few days since 
that I heard him talking to our fair friend, Miss Faithful. As I 
came near, she begged him not to detain her, as sickness at home 
needed her attention. Their conversation was as follows : 

'Upon which of thy loved ones has sickness fallen T asked 
Evangelist. 

' ' ' Upon my dear father, ' replied the girl. 
^Hast thou prayed for his recovery?^ 

^'Miss Faithful bent her head and said slowly, fear that 
prayer has been neglected in our home. ' 

" 'Dost thou not remember the words of Holy Writ?' asked 
Evangelist, and then opening a book he read : 

'' 'Is any sick among you! Let him call for the elders of the 
church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the 
name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and 
the Lord shall raise him up.' " 

PRAYER HEALS THE SICK 

^'Aha! that explains it," said Hypocrite. "Miss Faithful de- 
clared in prayer meeting last night, that her father had been 
cured by prayer. The altar in her family has been rebuilt. Evan- 
gelist has made one convert it seems. ' ' 

"I told Miss Sincere," he continued, ''that as an officer of the 
church I was opposed to all such outside influences." 

" 'What are you going to do about iiV she asked. 'You can- 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTAES 



67 



not stop it and I am surprised and pained that you should wish 
to. If this is the work of God, as Evangelist says it is, your pro- 
tests are of no avail and they are a direct aid to Satan's work/ 

" 'I fear you are taking too much for granted. Miss Sincere,' 
I replied. 'Far be it from me to oppose for a moment, anything 
which I am convinced is God's work. But I have not seen any 
eviden^j^ of impiety in our congregation, and until I do so, I do 
not think we need to be stirred up by fanatics like Evangelist. 
We are fully capable of attending to the work of our own salva- 
tion. ' Do you not think I was right 1 ' ' 

^'Yes, right enough, but a trifle too positive," said Satan with 
a cunning leer. ''You cannot drive that young lady; you must 
lead her. Take my advice and deal with her by insinuation, not 
by argument or logical reasoning. ' ' 

With these words, Satan took his leave, trusting they would 
bear fruit in the mind of his friend. 

Hypocrite resented the spirit in which Miss Sincere had ad- 
dressed him, for it was plainly to be seen that she regarded him 
with distrust. His long prayers and exhortations were features 
in the church, and it hurt him when his sincerity was ques- 
tioned. 

EVANGELIST AND THE FAITHFUL FEW 

Despite all that Satan and his friends could do, the work of 
Evangelist prospered. With Miss Sincere and Miss Faithful as 
his ardent helpers, he preached from house to house his doctrine 
of the displeasure of the Lord at the overthrow of His altars, and 
the personal loss in the soul's life that would surely follow this 



68 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



sin. The Guardian Angel, wlio was never long absent from their 
councils, aided them in their mission with timely advice and en- 
conragement. The custom of personal and family prayer which 
had been allowed to lapse, was widely restored, and once more 
God's word became a subject of daily study. 

^ ' If God be for us, who can be against us, my children ? ' ' said 
Evangelist to his little band of faithful workers at one of their 
frequent meetings. 

GOD SHALL CROWN THY WORK AT LAST 

' ^ It is the Lord 's work we are doing, and He will quicken it in 
the hearts of His people," rejoined Mis Faithful. 

'Be not weary in well doing,' continued Evangelist, 'for in 
due season ye shall reap if ye faint not. ' I have been doing the 
business of the King for many years, and His power has never 
yet failed, nor has the fulfillment of His promise been wanting. ' ' 

The little company knelt ere they parted, and the face of Evan- 
gelist was uplifted to Heaven. All joined in devout prayer, and 
as their voices rose in unison, I was constrained to add mine. 
Together our voices ascended to the Throne of Divine Grace, ask- 
ing God's aid in combating the wicked work of the Adversary of 
Souls. 

SATAN SPEEDS AN ARROW OF DOUBT 

Even as I knelt to join these faithful souls in prayer, I saw the 
dark and scowling face of Satan looking through the open window 
of the room. As I looked, he shot an arrow of doubt into their 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



69 



midst, hoping to overcome the effect of their devotions, but it 
struck upon the breastplate of Faith which Evangelist wore be- 
neath his robe, and the venomed point was blunted and made 
useless. 

The patriarch prayed on, not knowing what had passed. 

Miss Sincere had seen what seemed a dark shadow blot out the 
sunlight at the window for a moment, but it passed away and the 
heavens smiled again. 

* ^ The Master has led us in beautiful paths this day, ' ' she said 
in grateful tones. 

^'He ever goeth before those who are ready to do His will," 
replied Evangelist. 

MISS SINCERE DOES A GOOD ACTION 

have heard to-day a story of good Christian work,'' said 
Miss Faithful. ^'It is a poor widow whose house was about to 
be taken from her by a harsh creditor to whom she owed a small 
sum of money. She had part of the money, but he would not 
take less than the whole sum which was secured to him by a 
mortgage. The poor woman is a pious soul and a faithful worker 
in the church. She is amply deserving and it hurt me sorely that 
I could not aid her in her need.'' 

She is in want no longer. Her home is saved, ' ' said Miss Sin- 
cere. A friend aided her with the money and her creditor was 
foiled in his efforts to get her home at half its value." 

^'Blessed be the charitable one who came to the aid of the 
afflicted in their hour of need," said Evangelist, fixing his eyes 
on the face of Miss Sincere with a look that made her turn away. 



70 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



She had not told the whole, for it was to her that the widow owed 
her home; but the old man had been quick to discern the truth. 

Had she known all, it would have taught her to avoid a false 
friend, for Mr. Hypocrite was the one who had sought to rob the 
widow, and who had been foiled in his purpose by her generosity. 

As he counted the money in his desk that day, with a scowling 
face, H}"pocrite failed to see the eyes of Satan looking in upon 
him, but he was to learn that Satan is rarely far away when 
deeds like this are done. 

"I would give something to know who helped that woman 
out," he growled. Whoever it was has done me out of a good 
thousand dollars, for I could have made that profit on the house 
to-morrow. If I knew who it was, I would do the meddler an ill 
turn. ' ' 

"You are trying to do so now," said Satan to himself, "in 
your efforts to lead Miss Sincere into my flock. If you knew that 
she had paid the money, and if she knew that you had received it, 
I fear your friendship would quickly end. ' ' 

SATAN CALLS ANOTHER COUNCIL 

With a grin of delight, the Archfiend sped away, and unseen I 
followed him into the great council hall of his castle. 

Once more he called his demon host around him, and soon they 
were engaged in deep consultation over the labors of the day. 

"Well," said Satan, "what success?" 

"Those Christians certainly are determined to rebuild their 
altars," said one. "Almost every one has done so," 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



71 



*^Yes," added another, ''we toiled all night. We used up our 
arrows of doubt, but with no effect. A certain shield called Faith, 
with which they are provided, causes each doubt to rebound; they 
seem invulnerable to our methods of warfare. ' ' 

' 'That man. Evangelist, has been teaching them that by looking 
toward the Cross, they shall be able in every instance to prevail, ' ^ 
said another. 

SATAN IS NOT HOPELESS 

^'That man must be gotten rid of,'^ answered Satan. "He is 
filling the minds of the people with the teaching of Jesus, and 
when they become enthused, there is no telling where the move- 
ment will end. ' ' 

"We've never had any success when this man has contended 
with us, ' ' said the first speaker. 

"That is so," replied Satan. "It is best to acknowledge it, 
for our records show that he has defeated our plans again and 
again. ' ' 

"The work of Evangelist is hard to overcome," Satan went 
on, with a frowning brow, ' ' but I am not hopeless yet. I have a 
plan which may accomplish his defeat." 

"Let us have it," cried one who stood near him. 

PRAYER MUST BE MADE DIFFICULT 

"He has taught church people to rear their family altars 
again," the Archfiend continued, "and the sound of prayer can 



72 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



everywhere be heard, for the entire valley is perv^aded by it. It 
remains for us to hinder their devotions. This is what I would 
have you'to do. You must make prayer just as difficult to them as 
possible, and in the end they will gradually grow discouraged 
and give it up.'' 

' ' Cannot Hypocrite help us in this 1 ' ' asked one of Satan's most 
trusted workers. 

^^I have talked with him about it," replied Satan, ''and he is 
greatly concerned over the matter, which does not accord with 
his views of religious duty. He says that Evangelist has been 
so actively at work in their church, that, although he is an officer, 
he is entirely powerless to suppress the enthusiasm for this re- 
building of the family altars of prayer. ' ' 

''The matter may wear itself out if left alone. Agitation is 
often ill advised in such matters," said the other. 

"Agitation is not my method," rejoined Satan. "We must 
strive to hinder worship rather than oppose it. I have my views, 
but I wish you all to devise new plans. Away!" 

THE WORLD GROWS BETTER 

"Every age has its problems, and civilizing processes have not 
rendered my work less arduous," mused Satan. "I can keep 
things moving for my ends on the surface of this age, but under- 
neath is more of devotion to truth and reverence for duty than 
most Christians suppose. I am determined, however, to keep up 
the old antagonism, and the family altar shall come down, if I 
have the power to accomplish it," 



The Modern T>eriL Copi/right. 190S, bji W. W. J^oa.si',f 

"A man of kindly demeanor and patriarchal appearance" 

73 Seep 61. 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



75 



While I liad seen all tliis in my vision, I seemed not to have 
left my tent during all of that day. As night fell, Evangelist re- 
turned to me. Marks of his soul's toil were upon him, and a 
long busy day of consecrated efforts lay back of the sun which 
Jiad now set, but a gleam of satisfaction, such as God gives to the 
trusted and faithful, rested upon his saintly face. 

evangelist's day of victory 

One of his duties had been to call upon Hypocrite and accuse 
him in the words of Jesus, because he had suffered the altar of 
prayer in his home to be broken down. 

Great is thy shame! Thou art a stumbling block to many in 
Zion ! ' ' Evangelist had said to him. 

Under the scathing words of the prophet, Hypocrite's con- 
science became uneasy, and he promised to restore the altar in his 
home, but in his heart he had no intention of fulfilling his 
promise. 

THE CROWN OF SIMPLE PATIENCE IS THE BEST 

^'This has been a day of victory," said Evangelist to me. 
''The Lord of Souls has crowned the efforts of His children with 
success. Around the restored places of prayer, I have seen en- 
tire families gather in song and devotion. I have seen them look 
again to the Divine Father for His blessing." 

''They that sow in tears shall reap in joy/' I answered. 

' ' Yes, 'tis true, 'tis true, ' ' he assented. ' ' Through the centuries 
in which the dire work of Satan has been so persistent, I have 

5 — The Modern Devil, 



/ 



76 THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTAES 

learned the truth — no power on earth or in Hell can stay the in- 
fluence of Jesus upon the human heart. ' ' 

^And if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto me/ These 
were the Master's words/' said I. 

^'Yes/' replied Evangelist, ^^to so exalt Christ that the plain 
people say, * behold His beauty,' rightly applies to our present 
life and needs. In this, man's salvation lies." Then after some 
moments of devout silence, he added, ^The seventy yet return 
with joy. ' ' ' 

MATERIAL RICHES MAKE DEAF EARS 

No one, unless it were Evangelist, had been more active 
than Determination in proclaiming the word of the Lord, and 
now I saw him seated in the study of Minister Good. Then it 
seemed that the gray prophet and I were taken up gently, and 
after a moment set down where the fearless young preacher and 
God's older servant were deep in conversation. 

^^A great host of neglected altars," said Determination, ^'are 
again lighted with the incense of prayer; but the land is yet 
filled with many who in their mad haste for material gains, turn 
a deaf ear to our entreaties. They seem to enjoy nothing but 
the creature comforts of this mortal life." 

^ ' Thus it was when our Lord was here, ' ' answered the prophet. 

^'Though he entreated with tears, many would not heed his 
message. We shall have to learn the secret of His patience, and 
abide the realization of our labors and prayers," said Minister 
Good. 

**yes, we shall have to abide the day, for the time draweth 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



77 



near when beside the golden altars of devotion, the prayers of 
the saints shall everywhere rise before the throne, ' ^ added Evan- 
gelist. 

WHAT IS THE CHIEF END OF MAN? 

^^One of the great thinkers of an earlier generation," said the 
minister, ^ ^ a man often irritable, often intolerant, but always sin- 
cere, once said: 

^ * ^ The older I grow, — and I now stand on the brink of eternity 
— the more comes back to me that sentence in the catechism which 
I learned when a child, and the fuller and deeper its meaning be- 
comes. What is the chief end of man! To glorify God and enjoy 
Him forever. ' 

WE HAVE SPASMS OF REVERENCE 

*^It is not very hard — at times, at least," he went on, ^^for men 
to glorify God; some of us have spasms of reverence which we 
give Him and there is a sort of abstract love which we say we 
have for Him. We think this is quite creditable, and enjoy our 
mood until another takes its place. ' ^ 

^'That is very true," said Evangelist, ^^but there are many 
who try to glorify God in other ways, and are on fairly good terms 
with themselves because they really do sacrifice somewhat of ease 
and comfort and purse, and because they really do homage to 
Him." 

^'Then there are others whose lives are good and wholesome 
and clean," the minister resumed. ''They try to glorify God 



78 



THE BROKEN-DOWN ALTARS 



every day of their lives, and they come very much nearer doing it 
than those of us whose homage is perfunctory. ' ' 

^^It is helpful to know those brothers and sisters,'' said De- 
termination, who had sat in silence for some time. 

OUR OWN PERSONALITY MUST BE KEPT BACK 

*^But to ^ enjoy Him forever T That is harder," said Evangel- 
ist, following out the minister's thought. ^'But of one thing we 
may be sure. The more of self we have given up, the more we 
have kept back our own personality that our brother might have 
his chance — the more we have done of this, the more we have 
enlarged our capacity for enjoying God." 

^ ^ How the ^ great and glorious company of the Apostles ' must 
have enjoyed Him," said Minister Good. ^'It must have been 
their delight, as it was their business and their daily task, to learn 
divine truth from the lips of Jesus and then impart it to others. 
That is how we can enjoy God. We can learn of Him and then 
give our knowledge to others. 

man's pictorial conception of god 

' * Did you ever think, ' ' he went on, ^ ^ that the highest pictorial 
conception of God that man has produced shows him as a man? 
Venerable, majestic, awful, perhaps, but still a man." 

' ' I had never thought of that, ' ' said Determination, ^ ' but I do 
know that it is laid upon me to tell men that we have a God that is 
absolutely satisfying, one that they can enjoy. Oh, the lengi:h and 
breadth of the knowledge that God is good. How welcome this is 



THE BEOKEN-DOWN ALTARS 79 

to those who feel the way long and the burden of doubts and 
struggles heavy. ^ ' . 

"Someone has said/' responded the minister, ^Heaven help 
us on our working days, the level stretches white with dust.' 
Every day is a working day to those who do not love and wor- 
ship God, and the hopeless level stretches meet the sky line day 
after day, with no promise of even the ' shadow of a great rock. ' ' ' 

WE ARE OUR brothers' KEEPERS 

s 

"Determination is right," said the old prophet. "In a sense 
that should never let go of us, we are our brothers' keeper. If 
we have a clear and satisfying knowledge of what God is, and 
how to enjoy Him, we must tell it to our brother." 

"Yes," said Minister Good, "If we have found peace in the 
beauty and simplicity of the Gospel, why not help our brother to 
find it!" 



CHAPTER lY 
Hypocrite in the Pew 

"Neither man nor angel can discern 
Hypocrisy, the only evil that walks 
Invisible, except to God alone, 

By his permissive will, through heaven and earth." 

— Milton, ''Paradise Lost." 

"He was a man 
Who stole the livery of the court of heaven. 
To serve the devil in." 

—Pollok. 

AINTLY, as from a distance, words of deep meaning came 

|i to me in my dream. I still seemed to be in the tent set 

up in the Valley of the Cross, and awake, yet sleeping, 

arose to find the beauty and charm of a new day pulsing about 

me. Dreaming still, I seemed intensely alive to the scene before 

me, the brilliancy of the great sun as it climbed the eastern sky, 

the deep blue of the heavens, and the rich verdure of the earth. 

I prayed for a mind to grasp and use the lessons of the day; and 

as I prayed the sun grew dim, the blue in the sky melted into 

gray; dark clouds arose with thunder in their midst; and in the 

gathering blackness I was taken to the great castle which is Sa- 
80 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



81 



tan^s home. IJnseen, in his great hall of Pandemonium, I listened 
while he and his hosts set snares for the souls of men. 

SATAN SETS NEW SNARES FOR HUMAN SOULS 

The King of Evil sat in his seat of power, and abeut him were 
gathered his chief advisers. A foul crew they were, the sight of 
whom made me for a moment close my eyes in fear. When I 
opened them again, Satan had descended from his throne and was 
conversing familiarly with his imps of evil. 

^^I have just come from the City of Worldliness, ' ' he said with 
a look of demoniac glee. ^^I find that our work there has not 
been fruitless. There is trouble in the Church of the Disciples, 
in which we have of late taken such an interest.'' 

*'What is going on there f asked one of the evil crew. '^Has 
Evangelist been stirring up affairs T ' 

hypocrite's EXCELLENT WORK FOR THE DEVIL 

'*No," responded Satan, Evangelist is not in these parts now. 
The minister has started out to make it uncomfortable for Hypo- 
crite. I think he has found him out, and I am sorry. ' ' 

^'Our good friend Hypocrite has been doing excellent work 
for our cause,'' continued Satan. ^^He is not alone, but has a 
fine following, some of his supporters being officers in the church. 
This is fortunate for us, as Mr. Good-Enough, the minister of the 
church, has for some time had doubts of the intentions of Hypo- 
crite, and so is working to overcome his influence. ' ' 



82 



HYPOCMTE IN THE PEW 



''I would not care to be in the minister's place then/' said one 
who stood near Satan, listening intently to his words. Hypo- 
crite is up to all the tricks of his trade. " 

^'The secret of our success in these parts has been in our ac- 
tivity among the churches," said Satan. "When we find such ' 
men as friend Hypocrite on our side, it is not difficult to drop 
poisoned thoughts into their pews. ' ' 

"Especially when they hold official positions," added another. 

"Hypocrite has been making the business meetings of the 
church somewhat interesting," replied Satan. "His control of 
the purse of the congregation is of great advantage to him. ' ' 

"Can we not manage to elect several more of his type? If we 
could do so, the Church of the Disciples might become one of our 
best distributing centres, ' ' suggested another. 

"The idea is certainly a good one," replied Satan. "In my 
experience, nothing will so quickly demoralize a church as dis- 
sension among its members." 

MODERN CHURCll MANAGEMENT 

' ' Church affairs are not managed now as they were in the days 
of Pentecost, ' ' said a demon retrospectively. ' ' Then the church 
was a strong fort, now, there are breaches in its walls." 

' ' The Early Church was invulnerable, ' ' replied Satan, "but our 
continued efforts have not been in vain, and after eighteen cen- 
turies, signs of weakness are abundant. Let it be our task to get 
more men like Hypocrite into the churches. In that way we shall 
solve one of our hardest problems. ' ' 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



83 



^^Witli such men/' continued Satan, ''Membership in a church 
is not only a matter of policy, but has become a necessity. It is 
impossible to weed them out, for their plausible address and in- 
sinuating tongues make friends easily, and so give them a cer- 
tain standing in the administration of church affairs.'' 

''That corresponds exactly with what I have seen," said one, 
who, apparently of all present, stood highest in Satan's regard. 
"I have attended many church services and business meetings 
and it is wonderful how such men get themselves elected to 
prominent positions." 

"That blind fool. Hypocrite, does not dream that he is one of 
our chief agents," continued the speaker. "It was a shrewd 
scheme of yours to work him into a position in that church in 
which, like Peter of old, he now holds the keys. ' ' 

"The minister is a strong man," replied Satan, "but I feel 
sure that with the co-operation of Hypocrite, we can hold our own 
in that congregation." 

With these words, the demoniac conference ended, and its mem- 
bers departed on their various missions of evil. As they went 
their several ways, their place of meeting also vanished and I was 
set down in the great City of Worldliness. 

MINISTER GOOD AND HIS BURDENS 

Before my eyes lay open the parsonage of the Church of the 
Disciples. In it sat Minister Good, he of whom Satan had sneer- 
ingly spoken as Mr. Good-Enough. 

"My burden is becoming too heavy for me to bear," he was 
saying to his faithful wife. 



84 HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



^'You will be sustained/' slie replied. ''Tlie Lord knoweth 
our troubles and this condition of affairs cannot continue end- 
lessly. '' 

*^I trust so/' he replied, ^'but for five long years I have faced 
this base chicanery, seeking for the sake of peace to hide my 
knowledge of its existence. I have seen the cause of Christ suffer 
sadly because of wolves parading in sheeps' clothing." 

' ' The tares and the wheat will grow together until the time of 
harvest," suggested his wife. 

' ' I know they will, yet when an opportunity comes to pluck out 
tares without injuring the wheat, it seems to me that we are not 
only justified, but obligated to uproot them," replied the minister. 

' ' That may be true, ' ' rejoined his wife, ' ' yet you can never esti- 
mate beforehand, the trouble that personal interference is likely 
to cause, even though you act from most conscientious motives. ' ' 

^^The experience of others seems to show that you are right," 
the minister continued, ^'but it is hard to see what I see, daily, 
and keep quiet. " 

MR. HYPOCRITE IS A STUMBLING BLOCK 

^^Each church has its Judas," she replied. 

"That is no reason why we should help to cover up his sins 
by our silence; Jesus uncovered the falseness of the Pharisees, 
and I deem it my duty to lay bare the double life of Mr. Hypo- 
crite, whatever may come of it. He is a stumbling block in our 
church. Here, my dear, I have another of those detestable letters 
which have given me so much annoyance. These false and name- 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 



85 



less communications make my heart sick. The man who is 
guilty of shooting such arrows in the dark is a base coward. This 
is the fifth of these lying epistles I have already received. ' ' 

^^Yes, dear/^ she replied, "none but the small of soul could do 
such work. I know how hard it is to bear; but the Saviour had 
the same kind of people to deal with, and our burdens are light in- 
deed compared with His. We must be prepared even to be cru- 
cified with Him, if God so wills.'' 

' ' It is hard, but it is true, ' ' replied the much troubled minister. 
^ ' ' Except a com of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth 
alone, but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. ' So it is spoken, 
yet no worse thing can happen to a man than to be forced to abide 
alone. ' ' 

EVANGELIST VISITS MINISTER GOOD 

"Good morning, brother," said a voice interrupting this con- 
ference, as the door of the study opened and a venerable visitor 
walked in. 

"What a surprise and pleasure this is,'' said the minister as 
he grasped the new comer by the hand, and gave him a most 
cordial welcome. 

"How fares it with thee?" asked the visitor, who was no other 
than Evangelist. 

^ ' None too well, ' ' answered Minister Good. ^ ^ The work might 
be more encouraging. ' ' 

"I am sorry to learn this," replied Evangelist. "What is the 
source of your concern ? I think it may be something in which I 
can be of aid." 



86 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 



AN EVIL INFLUENCE IN THE AIR 

' ^ I SO glad of your coming, ' ^ said Mrs. Good. ^ ^ My husband 
has been greatly dejected of late, and in fact, we both have car- 
ried a heavy burden. We have sought to work well and faith- 
fully, but our labor seems to be unprofitable. ' ^ 

''It fills my heart with sorrow to hear this,^' said the good 
Evangelist. ' ' Has the Foe of Souls been hindering your work ? ' ' 

' ' Perhaps he has, ' ' replied the minister. ' ' Certainly some evil 
influence seems abroad in the air. ' ' 

''Tell me thy trouble,'' said the other as he drew his chair 
nearer, and laid his hand upon that of his discouraged brother. 
"Tell it all: perchance I may be able to offer thee help in this 
matter." 

Taking up a packet of letters, the minister selected one, which 
bore the signature of Hypocrite. This he handed to Evangelist. 
"Eead that,'' he said. 

EVANGELIST CONSOLES THE MINISTER 

Evangelist leaned back and read aloud the caustic words of this 
ungenerous and unchristian letter. When he had finished, he re- 
turned it, saying in cheerful tones: "Brother Good, I have had 
much to do with men of this kind. Their work always has its 
day. The Lord will not long tolerate such a person in His sanc- 
tuary. Have you taken any action in this matter I ' ' 

"None, so far as Hypocrite is concerned. I have sought to do 
my duty and have endeavored not to notice his attacks. ' ' 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 



87 



*^What say thy friends to his conduct 

^ ^ They are with me to a soul ; but they do not see their way clear 
to take open action in the matter. ' ' 

^^WhyT' queried Evangelist. 
Because Hypocrite has entrenched himself, by rendering them 
indebted to him in business matters, and he has gone so far as to 
threaten some of them with financial ruin unless they submit to 
his leadership. ' ' 

MAN CANNOT HINDER THE CAUSE OF CHRIST 

'*0h, is that his plan!'' said Evangelist. ''So he proposes to 
stay the progress of the cause of Christ by his worldly will! This 
method has been tried many times before, and I predict his utter 
discomfiture. Be not discouraged, brother, ' ' he continued. ' ' The 
Lord will open the way to thee. Maintain a spirit of patience. 
Thy faithful work is recorded, and the Lord will yet crown thy 
hopes and prayer with the blessing of true achievement. Keep 
up your heart and trust me to give you what aid I can. ' ' With 
these words, Evangelist bade them adieu and went forth on his 
daily errands of good. 

The minister and his wife stepped to the window and watched 
the venerable patriarch as he walked away. 

''He's a dear, good old man," said the minister. "One of the 
Lord's chosen, who lift the burden from the tired hearts of his 
workmen. ' ' 

"And he wears the life he lives in his face. He is one of those 
anointed of God to minister comfort," answered his wife. 



88 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 



THE MINISTER DECIDES WHAT TO DO 

*^Wife, I have gotten to this point," said Minister Good, as he 
gathered the letter of Hypocrite and those of anonymous origin, 
and, crushing them in his hand, flung them into the open grate. 

do not believe that there is a man, or set of men, who can long 
stay the progress of God's work. I mean to let the Lord deal 
with Hypocrite. ' ' 

That's the best disposition of this matter you can make," re- 
plied his wife. 

The scene upon which I had been gazing now faded away, and 
instead, I was in the residence of Mr. Hypocrite and beheld that 
fomenter of mischief seated in his library with a number of 
friends whom he had invited to a conference. 

HYPOCRITE AND HIS FELLOW-PLOTTERS MEET 

^'I am sorry to say, gentlemen," said Hypocrite, '^that this 
matter has gone somewhat further than I anticipated. ' ' 

^ ' Yes, ' ' rejoined one of the company. ' ^ It has grown to almost 
unmanageable proportions." 

^'Do you think it as bad as that?" asked Hypocrite. 

'^It seems so to me. Minister Good has not replied to a single 
communication, and seems apparently unconcerned in the matter 
upon which we have brought pressure, ' ' was the reply. 

''He must go," said one of the. company. ''That is the best 
solution of the question. He has taken a defiant attitude and we 
had best get rid of him. How will it do to squeeze him on the 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



89 



salary question? You certainly control that side of the situation, 
Mr. Hypocrite. ' ' 

^'I have thought of that," replied Hypocrite, ^^and have been 
trying it. It is a means by which many ministers are put on the 
rack. It certainly seems to me that we, the representatives and 
financial backers of the church, should control its policy." 

This last remark appealed to the pride of those present, and 
each seemed to expand with a new sense of importance. Hypo- 
crite chuckled inwardly, for he well knew that he could manipu- 
late them at his pleasure. 

^ ^^We must put an end to his method of personal preaching," 
he went on, ^^and to that singling out as sins the amusements 
which are popular among society people. Mr. Good does not 
know how to adjust himself to prevailing conditions, ' ' he added ; 
''for, if he did, his nest could be well feathered." 

''That's right," interjected one who was anxious to curry fa- 
vor with Hypocrite, and who had been put into office by him, 
though he was totally unqualified for a position in God's house. 
' ' The church is intended to be only a sort of religious club, any- 
way, and it is very uncomfortable to be always hearing of the 
need of 'special baptisms'; and those endless appeals for a 
'higher life' grow tiresome. ' ' 

"What we choose to do," said another, "is none of his busi- 
ness, anyway. The man may mean well, but he is not infallible, 
and he is rather too fanatical to please my taste. ' ' 

"I see nothing for us to do but to get rid of him in some way, 
and then call an up-to-date minister, who appreciates the condi- 
tions of these times and the necessities which are a law of the 



90 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 



world/' replied Hypocrite. ' ' Our cliurcli will go to pieces if this 
man continues with ns much longer. ' ' 

Those are our sentiments, too/' said several of those present. 

Satan, who just then passed by in his walking to and fro upon 
the earth, peered in at the window upon the assembled company. 

^'That's good enough to be left alone/' he said to himself. 
^'Hypocrite is certainly sentencing that preacher to-night. As I 
was with him in his pew last Sunday in the person of Agnostic, 
I am somewhat familiar with his plans. He can be safely trusted 
with this job if he keeps wise and discreet. I shall certainly aid 
him with my counsel. ' ' 

The meeting ended in a lunch to which Mrs. H;^'pocrite now in- 
vited the gentlemen, and, after imbibing several bottles of Hypo- 
crite's choice wines, the company broke up. 

MISS SINCERE APPEALS TO THE ANGEL 

My vision now led me into another part of the city, and there 
I saw the Guardian Angel whom I had first beheld at the Bridge 
of Sighs. She was now in the chamber of Miss Sincere. 

^'I am so concerned about poor Mr. Good," she said to her vis- 
itor. ''He seems to be greatly troubled. I was at his house this 
morning, but I am such a poor body to comfort any one. Both he 
and his wife seemed to be worried, and I felt that it had some- 
thing to do with money matters. I gave them a little remem- 
brance and they seemed much pleased." 

**Mr. Good has his cross to bear," said the Angel. ''A minis- 
ter's lot is not a sinecure, as a rule, and especially in this particu- 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



93 



lar instance. I am in sympathy with Mr. Good and his work, and 
I have learned that there are wolves in sheeps' clothing in his 
church. ' ^ 

''Who can she mean? ' ' Miss Sincere asked of herself. 

The Angel sat down by her side, and the glory of the moon, 
newly risen, fell in a flood of light through the window and upon 
them, giving its silver glory to their faces. 

THE MINISTER SHOULD HAVE SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS 

**My daughter,'' said the Angel, ''the lot of God's ser\"ant is 
often a trying one. Few of those to whom he ministers under- 
stand or appreciate the burdens which weigh upon his soul. He 
is an ambassador sent by God, and the sense of responsibility 
which rests upon him concerning his work, is a matter which none 
but he can know. Those who serve in this office are entitled to 
the sympathy and prayers of God's people, and every servant of 
Christ should have the loyal co-operation of his entire congrega- 
tion." 

"No machine can run smoothly if but one cog of the smallest 
wheel be broken," she went on. "Chimes cannot bathe the air 
with perfect melody if a single bell be out of tune. Neither can 
a minister be truly successful in his work, if there be in his con- 
gregation one dissenting or indifferent soul. Unless the heart 
of the minister be supported and encouraged by a united people, 
he will be unfitted fully to deliver the message which God would 
have him tell. A hypocrite in the pew can limit the power of a 
saint 's message. " 

6 — The Modern Devil. 



94 HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 

Miss Sincere looked into the eyes of the Angel, and said: 
^ ' There are many in onr church who seem indifferent to the mes- 
sage from the pulpit. I wonder if we have any who are false to 
the name of Christian f 

^ ^Perhaps there are some in the pews, ' ' replied the Good Angel. 

A JUDAS AMONG THE DISCIPLES 

Sweet were the visions that came to the pure soul of Miss Sin- 
cere that night. Her communion with the angelic visitor had 
filled her with holy thoughts. As she looked from her window 
the next morning, she saw the two men who were most in her 
thoughts — ^her much loved minister and her trusted friend. They 
met beneath her window and she listened with pleasure to their 
words. 

^ ' Good morning, Mr. Good, ' ' said Mr. Hypocrite, extending his 
hand with all the apparent warmth of real friendship. ' ^ Let me 
congratulate you upon your sermon last Sunday, ' ' said he. 

''Thank you," replied the minister, in a polite, but cool tone. 
After a few words they parted, each pursuing his course. 

"Fair without, but foul within," said the minister to him- 
self as he walked away. ' ' Now I am commencing to realize what 
it was for Jesus to have Judas among His disciples. ' ' Had these 
words been spoken aloud they might have thrown new light into 
Miss Sincere 's mind. 

EVANGELIST SCORES HYPOCRITE 

When Hypocrite entered his office he was surprised to find 
Evangelist there. The old man who had awaited him for some 



HYPOCEITE IN THE PEW 95 

time, received his salutations with slight response, and with little 
ceremony explained to him the purpose of his errand. 

^'Mr. Hypocrite,'' he said in severe accents. ^'I have seen the 
finger of the Lord, and it pointed at thee. The words of thy con- 
demnation are already written on the wall. Thou art false to thy 
vows, and holdest a pew in yonder church under the guise of a 
Christian, when thy heart is filled with sin.'' 

Hypocrite was bewildered. He was speechless for the moment ; 
a frown of anger gathering on his brow. Before he could speak 
the hot words that came to his lips, Evangelist went on. 

' ^ It is mine to speak ! ' ' he said in commanding tones. ' ' I am 
come in peace, trusting, perchance, wise counsel may cause thee 
to turn from thy evil ways. Thou art a hindrance to the Church 
of Christ, and being without conscience art heaping burdens upon 
the heart of a worthy man of G od. But a day is coming when thy 
prestige acquired by shrewdness and gold will be worthless ; a day 
when the light of God's searchings shall reveal the rottenness of 
thy soul. ' ' 

NOTHING IS HID FROM HIM 

^^Thy secret intrigues with Satan, the barter of that which is 
religious for the base returns he offers, are known by Him who 
watches over all who dwell in the valley between the Cross and 
the Hill-lands of Faith." 

Hypocrite, whose first impulse was to eject the old man from 
the office, heard the last words with an agitation he could not 
control. His anger vanished and terror took its place. Had he 
indeed held actual conference with Satan | It seeraed to him that 



96 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



the old man had divined the truth ; for at the moment he felt that 
the foul fiend was his intimate friend. 

''I know not of what you speak," he faltered, with whitening 
lips. ''You are wronging me! You have been listening to my 
enemies." 

' ' Not so, Mr. Hypocrite. I speak that whereof I know. Your 
soul tells you that it is the truth, and you will learn that the way 
of the transgressor is hard. The words of the ver^- ser^^ant of 
God whom thou art seeking to depose by dishonorable methods, 
shall in the end become thorns in thy unenviable crown. ' ' 

"You are doing me a great injustice," protested Hypocrite. 
"I am the friend of Minister Good. My church is the object of 
my pride and devotion. ' ' 

god's message to hypocrite 

"Seek not to hide behind lies," rejoined Evangelist. "Mine 
eyes have seen and mine ears have heard. Hear me further. This 
is the message of the Lord to thee : 

" 'Can the rush grow up without mire? Can the flag grow 
without water! Whilst it is yet in its greenness, and not cut 
down, it withereth before any other herb. So are the paths of all 
that forget God; and the hypocrite's hope shall perish; whose 
hopes shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider's web. 
He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand ; he shall hold 
it fast, but it shall not endure. ' 

' ' This is the message of the Most High to thee, ' ' and with these 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 97 

words of warning, Evangelist passed from the room and dis- 
appeared from sight. 

The false-hearted merchant dared not stop him, for the mes- 
sage of Evangelist had come to him as a warning from the Most 
High. 

SATAN FOILED BY EVANGELIST 

As he sat there lost in deep thought, Satan peered in upon him 
and saw with dismay that his chief earthly agent of mischief was 
in sore trouble. He could not quite divine the cause, but he had 
seen Evangelist leave the door and knew that he was connected 
with Hypocrite's distress. 

With all his power he sought to infuse the old irreligious spirit 
into Hypocrite's thoughts, but the arrows of Evangelist's words 
had struck too deeply, and for the time, the foul fiend was pow- 
erless. 

Was he indeed in danger of eternal woe from the course he had 
lately pursued, and especially for his hypocrisy? Such was the 
dread that filled the merchant's mind, and it inspired him with 
terror which all Satan's artillery could not overcome. 

Satan's philosophy 

Doubts, sneers against the ultra pious, specious arguments 
against the teachings of the church, the whole quiver full of ar- 
rows of the atheist and the impious, were hurled at him by Satan 
in vain, and the Evil One went his way in wrath at this seeming 
relapse of his clever agent and hoped-for prey, but a cunning leer 
came upon his face as he thought : 



98 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



^^This is but for a day. Hypocrite is too deeply dyed in sin, 
and far too weak in righteousness for this mood to last. To- 
morrow I look to find my own again. Sudden conversions rarely 
sink deep.'' 

For the rest of that day, Hypocrite remained the slave of the 
terror which Evangelist had awakened in his soul. He attempted 
to redeem some of the evil he had done by sending the minister 
a check for his over-due salary, which he had illegally kept back; 
and went so far as to send a small sum to the Widow Faith, whom 
he had sought to despoil of her home. But that night, some of his 
old frame of mind returned. ^'Had he become a pious weak- 
ling f he asked himself, and then shook off much of the fear 
which had moved him so deeply. 

THE ANGEL COMFORTS MINISTER GOOD 

Minister Good sat in his study on the morning of the day on 
which Hypocrite had been so deeply moved. The day's experience 
had added new courage to the pious pastor. Evangelist had 
called again, and so had Miss Sincere, and both had pledged him 
their sympathy, and bade him be of good cheer. And the un- 
expected check received from the Church Treasurer had relieved 
him of trouble of a material kind. As he thought over his work 
for the morrow, the Good Angel entered the study and stood by 
his side, unseen by him, though he felt the presence and seemed 
to hear the voice of a divine agent. 

' ' Thou hast thy troubles, dear pastor, ' ' came the soothing 
words in his ear, ^^but the Master had His, and thou art but a ser- 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



99 



vant traveling in His steps. Let not thy heart be troubled con- 
cerning these problems of thy parish. The Angel of the Lord 
goeth before thee to prepare the way. Thine enemies shall not 
prevail. This is the message of God, which is to be thy message 
in times of trouble and care. 

" 'Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees 
which have not bowed to Baal and every mouth which hath not 
kissed him. ^ " 

As the Angel withdrew, the minister said to his wife: ''There 
is yet a bow upon the cloud, even though there is a hypocrite in 
the pew.'' 

' ' We are touching days of greater blessing, ' ' the minister re- 
sumed, "for while I am unable to grasp the AngePs vision, I be- 
lieve that what she hath foreseen is true, and we must push for- 
ward with trustful hearts. 

IN THE minister's STUDY 

I was inexpressibly stirred as I heard these earnest and faithful 
souls comfort one another with words from the Book of Books, 
and I strove to fix in my mind both the words and the scene be- 
fore me. I heard the sweet-faced woman add: 

"What could we do without the Bible f 

"Nothing, nothing," answered the minister. "Its thought and 
teachings have been the foundation of all enduring literature, and 
its spirit the inspiration of that immortal heroism which every- 
where throughout Christendom, for centuries, has subdued the 
LofC. 



100 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



kingdom of darkness, and hate and sin, and ushered in the mle 
and reign of the Cross. ' ' 

"It is God's answer to all human hearts,'' rejoined his wife. 

THROUGH ALL THE UNQUIET YEARS 

"Yes," assented the minister, "the truths from this sacred 
book have removed thorns from dying pillows through the ages; 
and spoken peace and courage to the soul in the agonies of its 
Golgothas. 

" This book has been the one window in the world's dark night 
through which the stars of promise shone through the early 
hours, until the sun of righteousness foretold by prophets and 
sages crossed the peaks of time to flood the hills and valleys of 
earth forevermore with the light from the life of the Son of God." 

"He is the light," said Mrs. Good, "who lights the path down 
to the river where souls set sail for the eternal shores ; who points 
the way across billow and storm into harbors celestial." 

A STRONG TESTIMONY 

" 'Tis a blessed book," said the minister, "and has appealed 
to the greatest minds the world has ever known. 

"Milton found no songs to be compared with the songs of 
Zion ; no orations equal to those of the prophets. In twenty-four 
of Bacon's Essays he has more than seventy allusions to the 
Bible. 

"The 'Divine Commedia' of Dante; the works of Shakespeare, 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



101 



tlie greatest literary genius the world has ever seen; the master- 
pieces of hundreds of writers of eminence are witnesses to the 
wonderful influences of this wonderful book. 

^ ^ The works of the leading poets and prose writers of the nine- 
teenth century bear the distinct impress of biblical thought and 
expression/' he went on, ^^and hosts of others testify to the su- 
premacy of the Bible over all other literature. What can be 
stronger than the testimony of Ruskin, the leading art critic of 
the world? 

'All that I taught of Art, everything that I have written, 
whatever greatness has been in any thought of mine has simply 
been due to the fact that, while I was a child, my mother daily 
read with me a part of the Bible, and daily made me learn a part 
of it by heart. ' ' ' 

OUR PERSONAL LESSONS 

* ' Yes, ' ' rejoined Mrs. Good, ' ' and every time we study its pages 
there is a personal lesson to be learned, for in its histories, its 
commands, its promises, we find that we must be in harmony with 
God.'' 

''Indeed you are right," said the minister. "Just as the chil- 
dren of Israel could look back on monumental acts of badness, 
rebellion, impious beliefs, degrading sensualities, just so there 
is something to answer to these in the lives of all of us. Ever>^ 
life has its own stor^^, but there are experiences common to all." 

' ' I have felt this t oo, " replied his wife, ' ' but you remember God 
said to the children of Israel, 'Thou shalt remember the day 
when thou earnest forth out of the Land of Egypt all the days of 



102 



HYPOCRITE IN THE PEW 



thy life. ' It should require no effort for us to remember the day 
when we came out of our Egypt, for, it stands out boldly against 
the dreary background of weaknesses and imperfections to which 
we were accustomed. It was the day we began to get away from 
sins that had an evil eminence, from the giving away to hatred 
and anger, from profane and sensual influences. 

WHAT GOD REQUIRES 

While she was speaking, her husband had been turning the 
leaves of the Bible, and now he said: 

*^The study of this book reveals many things. That we must 
have charity in our judgment of others is one of them, and then 
we find that, we must be humble before God for such knowledge 
of truth as we have, and for our determination to know more of it, 
to live it, and to teach it to others. And now,'' he added, turn- 
ing the book before him, ^'hear what the prophet Micah says: 

^He hath showed thee, man, what is good; and what doth 
the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and 
to walk humbly with thy God.' " 



f 



CHAPTER V 



The Modern Thirst for Gold 

"Commerce has set the mark of selfishness. 
The signet of its all enslaving power. 
Upon a shining ore, and called it gold; 
Before whose image bow the vulgar great, 
The vainly rich, the miserable proud, 
The mob of peasants, nobles, priests and kings, 
And with blind feelings reverence the power 
That grinds them to the dust of misery. 
But in the temple of their hireling hearts 
Gold is a living god, and rules in scorn 
All earthly things but virtue." 

— Shelley. 

IN my dream I overlooked the Great City of Worldliness in all 
its vast extent. By its side, past a thousand great ware- 
houses, a broad river raced to the ocean. Deep-laden ships 
lay at the wharves, or glided out into the mist, and floated away 
with the stream. 

The noise of traffic reached me, — the clatter and din of a thou- 
sand footsteps, a thousand hoofs, a thousand wheels. Streams of 
human life flowed in straight and devious ways, yielding, push- 
ing, driving, in a stress of feverish excitement. 

103 



104 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



I saw men tliere absorbed and rapt in eager self-seeking, cross- 
ing each other's course in every direction, and women as well — 
men and women of all conditions — and I asked myself, Where 
will these be in a hundred years, and what will be the sum and 
outcome of this labor? 

Then I was borne down into the very vortex of the city, that 
wild whirlpool of wealth and woe in which men and women are 
driven by the thirst for gold and pleasure, past the market-place, 
the banks and exchanges — a thousand places in which the war 
for wealth goes on day by day, the victors exulting, the van- 
quished mourning, the field strewn with the wrecks of human 
souls. 

But the gold-fever was not in every heart in that city. Thou- 
sands were there whose souls were clean and pure ; to whom honor 
and righteousness were worth tenfold all the wealth of the 
world. Here and there I saw temples with their spires pointing to 
heaven as if in warning to the fevered throng, and their doors 
were open invitingly to all to whom prayer and devotion had a 
living meaning. 

At length I found myself in the unpretentious dwelling of 
Minister Good, and saw him seated in his study. Beside him was 
one of radiant face. A queenly woman of earthly mould she 
seemed, but my eyes saw in her lineaments those of the Guardian 
Angel of the bridge. Their talk was of the greed for wealth by 
which so many in the great city were swayed. 

''How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the King- 
dom of Heaven! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye 
of a needle than for a rich man to enter Christ's fold," said the 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 105 

Angel. ''Temptation surounds him, and strong indeed is the 
soul that can resist. ^ ' 

THE THIRST FOR RICHES A DISEASE OF THE TIMES 

**The love of money works half the evil in the world/' replied 
the thoughtful minister. ' ' If the busy world would only learn to 
'render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God, the 
things which are God's,' far better would it be for all mankind." 

' ' This thirst for riches is a disease of the times, ' ' said the An- 
gel. "It has always existed, but is growing intense in these latter 
days. The hot haste to be rich in the world's goods has kept 
many a one from reaching a better life. Those words of the 
Master, ' What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and 
lose his own soul, ' seem to have lost much of their significance in 
these times. To be rich ! to be rich ! ah, that 's the sole ambition 
of hosts of those about us. ' ' 

THE DAILY TOIL AT THE MILL OF FORTUNE 

' ' Too true, ' ' answered Minister Good with a sigh. ' ' There are 
thousands in this city alone, who look no higher than the roof 
which covers them. It is grind, grind, grind, from Monday until 
Saturday, at the Mill of Fortune, and the controlling thought is, 
how to turn every transaction into gold, no matter who may suf- 
fer or fall in the strife. ' ' 

i i There is no easier way for Satan to win a wavering soul than 
to point him to a hoard of imaginary gold, ' ' said the Angel, 



106 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



''That is an old trick of his," replied the minister. ''He re- 
sorted to it on the mount when he tempted the Master with his 
'All this will I give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship me. ' ' ' 

"Alas, many Christian people seem to lack the moral stamina 
to rise np in the face of his designs and say : ' Get thee behind me 
Satan, ' ' ^ continued the Angel. 

THE LESSONS AND OBLIGATIONS OF WEALTH 

At this point in the conversation, Miss Sincere entered the 
room. Wealth was hers, but it had come by inheritance and had 
been won by the honest endeavors of a pious father, to whom 
honor outweighed gain. It was her habit to use it freely in doing 
good. 

"We have been speaking of the great thirst for gold, which 
is so widely prevalent in these times, ' ' said the minister. 

"Ail power to obtain wealth comes from the Lord,'' she re- 
plied. "Wealth, to my way of thinking, is a curse to its posses- 
sor unless it has been gained by honorable labor and unless it be 
consecrated to the giver. Some one has truly said: 'A man's true 
wealth is the good he does in the world.' " 

THE LACK OF CONSECRATED WEALTH 

"It gladdens me to see that you are making a wise use of your 
possession," said the Angel. "A tender heart and a charitable 
soul are the best inheritance that have come down to you," 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



107 



^^Do Bot praise me, I pray you," protested the modest caller. 
'^Who could have done less than I to stem the tide of misery?" 

^'The covetousness of God's children is a source of deep sad- 
ness to me, ' ' replied the Angel. ' ' Even the Church suffers from 
lack of consecrated wealth. Christians give so little, compared 
with their earnings. I fear that with many of them, piety is not 
strong enough to untie the purse strings," 

^^Yes, the treasurer's book of most churches would condemn a 
large number of those whose names are on the membership roll, ' ' 
assented Tvfinister Good. 

^^No doubt it is as you say, and that those who are most 
blessed and prosperous often give the least, ' ' observed Miss Sin- 
cere. 

^ ' The parable of Jesus, wherein He pictures the grasping spirit 
of His time in the foolish rich man, who enlarged his bams and 
crowded them with his gathered grains, yet applies to our day, ' ' 
said the minister, his face growing grave and severe. 

GOD LOVES A CHEERFUL GIVER 

Certainly the poor often surpass the rich in openness of 
heart," rejoined Miss Sincere. *'No one gives more to the cause of 
Christ in our church, in proportion to their income, than Widow 
Faith. She has four little children for whom to care, and her 
means are very small, yet I am told she contributes fifty cents 
each week. Such a sum is more to her than as many dollars to 
many of our members, for it must represent self-denial." 

^'She is laying up treasures in Heaven," said the minister, 



108 



THE MODEEN THIEST FOE GOLD 



^'The Lord will not suffer her to want, because she giveth gener- 
ously and in answer to a quickened conscience.'' 

''They that sow sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and 
they that sow bountifully, shall also reap bountifully," said 
the Angel. 

THE SINK OF POLITICAL CORRUPTION 

After their conversation had continued for some time longer, 
Minister Good remarked, with a face of grave concern: 

''Much as we condemn the greed and dishonor in the business 
world, it is by no means the sorest spot in our city's affairs. 
There is a field in which dishonor broadens into unblushing dis- 
honesty and greed expands into barely concealed theft. ' ' 

"I do not comprehend. AVhat field is that?" asked Miss Sin- 
cere with a look of concern. 

' ' The field of politics, ' ' answered the minister. ' ' The manage- 
ment of iDublic affairs is a mire far deeper and fouler than that 
into which Christian sank when he set out for the straight gate 
and narrow way." 

"Politics is something we women know little of. It is outside 
the ordinaiy sphere of our duties and of our churches." 

"Oh, no, not outside the churches," protested the minister. 
"Vice, here, wears often the mask of respectability, and you will 
find some of those deepest in the business of defrauding the 
public, posing as good church members. It is sad, but true." 

"I have heard the name of Mr. Man-of-the-World spoken of as 
the 'boss of city politics,' 'the head of the ring,' " said Miss 



THE MODEEN THIEST FOE GOLD 



111 



Sincere, ^'but I must confess I know but little of what those words 
signify." 

^^That man is a sad reflection upon the fair fame of our city," 
answered the minister. ''For two years past, he and the politi- 
cal combination of which he is the leader, have been in full power 
in the public offices. They decide who the people shall vote for; 
they give out all contracts ; and they fill their pockets out of the 
spoils of office. 

''Man-of-the-World began his political career with scarce a 
penny. To-day he is rich. He began with a reputation for honor; 
to-day his name is spoken with a sneer all over the land. He has 
sold his soul to Satan as really as did Faust of old." 

"It is sad, sad indeed," mused Miss Sincere. ''You have 
opened to my eyes a new form of iniquity which I hardly knew 
existed." 

"You will learn more of it in the days now coming," said Min- 
ister Good, significantly. "It is widely felt that the powerful 
political ring is laying new plans which will surpass in shrewd- 
ness those of the past. And the people slumber on, and vote 
blindly as they are told. Oh I that Christ would come to this 
city and wake the x^ublic conscience, which I fear is in a trance." 

I heard no more. A thin mist, deepening momently, spread 
over the humble parsonage, shutting it from view. The last I 
saw of the group was the glorified face of the Guardian Angel. 
Soon that vanished too. 

When the mist rose again, a widely different scene met my 
view. I had last looked upon the radiant features and sparkling 
eyes of the Angel of Deliverance. I now found myself gazing 

7 — The Modern Devil. 



112 



THE MODERN THIEST FOR GOLD 



upon eyes through which the fires of liell seemed glowing, and 
a face that appeared as the dark emblem of sin. It was Satan who 
rose before me on a sombre and gloomy heath, upon which every 
trace of gTeen seemed blasted by his presence. With him were 
a number of his demon horde whom he had summoned ta his 
side. 

GOOD NEWS COMES TO SATAN's CREW 

It was with a look of maligTi triumph that Satan met his crew, 
and the expression of exultation upon his face bore in it the con- 
centrated evil of the Pit. 

^'I bring you glorious news," he said, ''tidings of great mo- 
ment. You know how diligently I have worked upon the double- 
dealing spirit of Man-of-the-world, the leader of the political 
ring in the City of Worldliness. The fellow had grown afraid of 
the public and dreaded to go further in his schemes, but I have 
been at his ear and put new courage in his heart. The people of 
the city will hear of something not to their advantage before 
many days." 

' ' What is it ? " asked his eager crew. ' ' Can we help in it ? " 

''Don't be too eager. You will soon learn. Curiosity is a sin 
you know, ' ' said Satan with a cunning leer. ' ' I promise that you 
will be kept busy. ' ' 

*'We should know the secret now, so that we can prepare to do 
our work faithfully," said a prominent demon. 

"Ha! Ha! are you there, old devil of curiosity!" laughed Sa- 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



113 



tan. ''Very well, you shall learn. Listen, and I will tell you of 
an interesting talk I happened to overhear in my daily visit to the 
City of Worldliness." 

The demons gathered round with gleaming eyes, while Satan 
seated himself on a low mound as on a throne. 

"You know that I am much in the habit of calling on my use- 
ful friend, Hypocrite," began Satan. "I was in his office to-day, 
unseen by him, unless he chanced to notice a big beetle that sat 
on the bust of Mephistopheles in one comer of the room." 

A demoniac burst of laughter greeted these words. 

"He had a visitor," continued Satan, "no other than Mr. Man- 
of-the- World. I knew at a glance that my plans were ripening, 
for this meeting was one that I had been seeking to bring about. 
They were alone, the door was locked, and their conversation 
went on in low tones. I was in time to hear the gist of it, and this 
is how it ran: 

" 'You are the man I want, and the only one,' said Man-of-the- 
World. 'You know the value of cash as well as the best of us, 
and are not squeamish as to how you get it. I promise you this 
will be a mint.' 

" 'But I fear defeat,' said Hypocrite. 'I am not in the best of 
odor in the city, as you know. There are hosts who will vote 
against me, and I do not care to be turned down; a man's pride 
enters into a thing of this sort.' 

" 'Leave it to me and the boys to manage all that,' replied 
Man-of-the-AVorld. "The entire machine of the city is back of 
you. We have the cash to push your candidacy, and it is money 



114 



THE MODEKN THIRST FOE GOLD 



and organization which obtain results in these days. You must 
agree to let your name stand, for it is a safe thing, and I can tell 
you it 's no small matter to be mayor of a city of this size. 

'Aside from the salary,' he went on, 'the rake-otfs are not to 
be despised, and besides this, in dealing with corporations, there 
are many emoluments worth considering. Come now, friend Hy- 
pocrite, this matter must be settled to-night and you are the man 
we want. Give us your answer by six o 'clock, and see that it is 
favorable.' With these words and one of his knowing looks,- 
Man-of-the-World left the place." 

' ' As Hypocrite sat musing, I whispered in his ear, ' ' continued 
Satan, "it is an office worth having; and it has come to you un- 
sought. It will pay you richly, and, aside from that, you will 
have new facilities for broadening out your business. What goes 
on back of the political screen never comes to the public ear. 
As for winning, you can count on 'the machine' for that. 

"I could see that my suggestions impressed him favorably, and 
I kept on whispering what he fancied were his own thoughts. It 
is lucky I was there, or I fear he would have been afraid to take 
the nomination. As it was, I won him over, and he wrote his 
acceptance before I left the place." 

SATAN PROMISES PROFITABLE WORK 

"Good! good," cried the demon crew, with a shout of ap- 
proval. "With Hypocrite at the head of affairs there will be 
profitable work for all of us to do. The man is a coward 
and will need bolstering up, but that, you can attend to. We shall 



THE MODERN THIEST FOR GOLD 



115 



have enough to keep us busy among the rank and file of the 
gang." 

^'I fancy you will," said Satan with a meaning look. ''Many 
of them will need your aid, for they will have to defy all the 
honor and decency of the city for years." 

MR. HYPOCRITE AT HOME 

Again my dream changed, and I found myself in the home of 
Mr. Hypocrite, the candidate for Mayor. He had just entered, 
and with hat still in hand was in eager conversation with his wife. 

''I have taken a step to-day, which I think you will approve," 
he said. "There are some matters of immense importance to the 
city coming up next year. Large public works are on the pro- 
gramme which will mean the handling of millions. I propose to 
have my share of them. You know we have talked of the possi- 
bility of my receiving the nomination for Mayor. It has been 
offered to me and I have accepted it. ' ' 

' ' I am glad of that, ' ' she replied. ' ' We live only once, and I be- 
lieve in getting all we can, and you are not required to take your 
conscience into politics, ' ' she added with a laugh. 

"You are right there," rejoined Hypocrite. "As for being 
elected, I fancy that will go through, for Mr. Man-of-the- World 
controls the situation; but I must say this, I'd feel a gTeat deal 
easier about the aifair if it were not for that interview with old 
Evangelist. He always leads me to feel, when I am in his pres- 
ence, as though the Almighty were not far away, and then I be- 
come a sheer coward. It's a species of sorcery, I am sure; but 



116 THE MODEEN THIRST FOR GOLD 



the weirdness of it makes shivers come over me when I think 
of it. Those eyes of his look right through you and seem to 
pierce your very souL ' ' 

SLEEP HATH ITS OWN WORLD 

That night Hypocrite had a dream in which he saw a great 
vault containing a large quantity of gold, and there came to him 
a voice saying: "Enter and help thyself, 'tis for thee, but be- 
ware of the door." He saw his friends outside and heard their 
congratulatory words, but as he entered the vault and took up a 
bag of gold, the door suddenly closed and he was alone with the 
treasure. He cried for aid, but his friends seemed to have for- 
saken him. The gold by which he was surrounded and which he 
had sought, seemed as worthless as sand, in the terror that now 
seized him. 

AND CURDLES A LONG LIFE INTO ONE HOUR 

For hours he remained there in utter despair. At length he 
saw the approach of one like to Evangelist, who, with a key which 
was called ' ' Salvation, ' ' unlocked the door, and provided a way 
of escape. 

The significant dream troubled Hypocrite all through the next 
day, but he told no one of it. 

"It is strange what fancies invade our brain," he said. 
' ' Dreams are but the fabrications of a wearied mind, but this one 
surely has a strange meaning." With all his efforts to banish it 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



117 



by engrossing himself witli other matters, it was days before he 
could throw off its full effect. 

Without taking note of intervening time, I saw the election 
scenes, and was aware that Hypocrite, with the aid of the politi- 
cal ring, was elected Mayor by a large majority. Encouraged by 
this, he did not hesitate to run the office for the benefit of himself 
and his political friends, setting at defiance the honest element 
of the city. 

EVANGELIST AND THE MINISTER DISCUSS THE SITUATION 

^'It is a, long road which does not have a turn," said Evangel- 
ist to Minister Good, upon whom he had called. 

"Yes, it is a long road; so long that it does not look as though 
we would ever come even in sight of a turn," was the reply. 

"It must come though," continued Evangelist. "Hypocrite 
represents the great number of those who are thirsting for riches, 
and who, for the sake of gain, smother their consciences, and 
stoop to the world's standard. This mercenary greed obliterates 
their finer sense of honor, and everywhere, dishonesty is running 
rampant, having been given its legal freedom under the guise 
of the ' laws of trade. ' " 

ALL BOW BEFORE KING GOLD 

"It is hard to preach the Gospel to such people," Minister Good 
observed. "Men have no time now-a-days to do any religious 
thinking. Gold is king, and both the large man and the small 
man bow adoringly before him. ' ' 



118 THE AlODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



''Think ye it is worse now than when He was here?" ques- 
tioned Evangelist. 

''When who was liere?'-' aslved the minister. 

"AA^ien Jesns, the Christ, was liere, and preached the word of 
the kingdom in Jerusalem and in Capernaum," answered Evan- 
gelist. 

Minister Good pondered for a moment, and catching the signi- 
ficance of the question, replied: "It ought to be better now than 
in those times, better, rather than worse. ' ' 

HONESTY AND WORTH SHALL INCREASE 

"It is better now, though the old greed is still here, ' ' said Evan- 
gelist. "Twenty centuries of divine ministry have, at least, put 
leaven in the meal." 

"So long as God's ambassadors keep the Cross on the Hill be- 
fore the mind of this mercenary age," he went on, "the softening 
influence of His teachings will break up the hard cold surface of 
the world's life, and the seeds of honesty and truth, in the mutual 
relations of life, will take root and grow." 

The voice of the good prophet fell to a whisper as the scene 
melted into shadow. Then another took its place. 

HYPOCRITE IS ''taken CARE Of" 

I saw Hypocrite and Man-of-tlie-World seated in their political 
club, intently occupied with a scheme which was to be presented 
to the city councils the next day. 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



119 



"If we can get tlie matter properly brought forward/' said 
the political autocrat, ' ' and have the proper committee appointed, 
the measure will be safe to pass. I have a big sum invested, and 
am sure that it will net me largely if I can get the contract. ' ' 

"No doubt of that,'' said Hypocrite. 

"And I mean to take good care of you if our plan succeeds," 
said Man-of-the-World. 

"You can trust me. I am here for what is in it, and I promise 
you that the bill shall have my signature when it reaches me," 
said Hypocrite. ^ 

"That's settled then," said Man-of-the-World with a grin of 
satisfaction. "You shall be in it ' on the ground floor. ' Trust me 
to see to that." 

"We understand each other," said Hypocrite. 

Man-of-the-World knew well how to do his work, and when to 
^ ' see, ' ' in the phrase of the ' ^ machine. ' ' A storm of protest broke 
out in the city against the villanous project, but in spite of all 
opposition the bill was passed and signed. 

"It hurts my conscience to do jobs like this," said Mayor Hy- 
pocrite to himself, ' ' but there is a clear million in it, and no con- 
science can stand against a price like that." 

WE MUST KEEP PACE WITH SOCIETY 

Since the day of Hypocrite's marriage, he had made a confi- 
dant of his wife, and to all his efforts to amass a fortune, she had 
given her earnest encouragement. 

"If your plans succeed," she said, "we shall summer at the 



120 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



centre of fasliion next year. "We must keep np witli tlie advance 
of society, bnt to do that, takes means." 

''Our desires in this direction shall be gratified beyond a 
doubt," he replied. He had trained her to his way of thinking, 
and her shrewdness, in many instances, aided him in covering up 
his sins. 

Nearly all the newspapers in the city were unsparing in their 
denunciation of the acts of the Mayor, and boldly stated his con- 
nection with the schemes of Mr. Man-of-the-World to rob the 
city treasmw. But the subsidized papers protested vigorously 
against these statements of fraud, and lauded Mr. Hypocrite as 
an honest man, appealing to his record as a business man and a 
church member. 

HYPOCRITE IS IN THE HANDS OF HIS FRIENDS 

''Mr. H^i)ocrite is sadly worried about these newspaper lies 
concerning him, ' ' said his wife to Miss Sincere, who had called 
upon her. "It's just awful how these jealous men are seeking 
to slander his good name. His church record is even attacked." 

"It 's too bad," said Miss Sincere, whose faith in her old 
friend was not entirely shaken. "But a lie, like a false act, never 
fulfills its intentions. Why does Mr. Hypocrite submit to these 
statements, since they are doubtless untrue?" she asked. 

"What can he dof " replied Mrs. Hypocrite. "He is simply in 
the hands of his friends. He said last night that probably his best 
course would be to keep silent until the matter blew over. All 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



121 



he can say will not convince these people who are ignorant of his 
motives in the matter. 

"Well," said Miss Sincere, "the Good Angel has taught me to 
do my best, and then leave all in the hands of the Higher Power. 
Mr. Hypocrite as a consistent Christian should do the same." 

"Yes, yes," answered Mrs. Hypocrite, "but that is different. 
Matters of this kind are purely secular, and in the business and 
political world, while the tide is rising, affairs move with such 
force and swiftness that men do not get much time even to think 
about praying." 

"It is a sad condition, if such is the case," said Miss Sincere. 
" ^Cast all your care upon Him,' is the command. This thirst for 
gold is the curse of the age, and if our representative leaders set 
such a pace, what can we expect of the rising generation 1 ' ' 

"Perhaps I said too much," said Miss Sincere to herself, after 
she had taken her leave. ' ^ That woman does not think of any- 
thing beyond apparel and the latest whim of fashionable society. 
She is determined to shine in the select circle of the 'four hun- 
dred,' if money can accomplish it, and even Christian counsel, I 
fear, is too weak to combat the strong desire of her worldly 
mind. ' ' 

MR. MAN-OF-THE-WORLD WRITES A LETTER 

One day Minister Good was surprised to receive in his mail a 
letter from Mr. Man-of-the-World. 

"Listen to this, wife," he said as he glanced at the signature. 



122 THE MODERN THIEST FOR GOLD 

'•Here is a missive from a new correspondent. What can lie 
want?'' 
He read : 

''Rev, Mr, Good: 

"Dear Sir: 

"Yon are no doiibt much interested in the work of our 
honored mayor, ivho is a loyal member of your communion, and 
have read with sorroiv, the scurrilous attacks of certain neivs- 
papers upon his motives and character as a public officer, 

"Unknoivn to him, I have taken the liberty of requesting that 
you write a line endorsing him as a man, and stating therein, in 
shortest terms, the confidence you place in his religious integrity. 

"Such a line from you at this time, ivill be of great comfort 
and help to Mr. Hypocrite. 

"Thanking you in advance, I remain 
"Very truly yours, 

"Man-of-the-World.'' 

"1 wonder what that political reprobate thinks of me?" said 
Minister Good indignantly. ''Does he imagine that I am blind 
to what is going on? I shall never endorse Mayor Hypocrite. He 
is beginning to reap some of the harvests for which he has been 
sowing these many years. I don't propose to 'whitewash' him. 
To leave him in the mire may be the best way of showing him the 
error of his ways. I fear, though, that his case is hopeless. ' ' 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 123 

The next scene in my dream showed me the moving power be- 
hind this letter. As I suspected, it was a scheme of the Adver- 
sary. Bis voice came plainly to my ears. 

SATAN PLOTS AGAINST THE MINISTER 

**They are certainly giving the Mayor a 'roast,' " he said to 
one of his attendants. ''He can stand it though, for he is getting 
well paid. The last contract he secured, netted him at least half 
a million.'' 

"It's the old story," said the other, " 'Uneasy lies the head 
that wears a crown. ' But there is no need to worry about Hypo- 
crite, he will wear the crown all right, if the returns are satis- 
factory. ' ' 

"I think that perhaps I can get the minister into this game 
also," said Satan, and then he told how he had proposed to Man- 
of-the-World to have the minister endorse Hj^ocrite and his ad- 
ministration. "If he writes the letter, it will mean his utter fail- 
ure in his church, ' ' he added with considerable satisfaction. 

"If he only does it," said the other, "and that, I greatly 
doubt." 

THE GUARDIAN ANGEL TELLS EVANGELIST OF THE PLOT 

The Good Angel knew of the trouble, and, seeking Evangelist, 
revealed to him the plan of Man-of-the- World to identify Minister 
Good with the political complications of Mr. Hypocrite. 

"This must not be," said Evangelist, and, with these brief 
words, he hurried away to counsel the minister. 



124 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



^'Come in, you are welcome, my dear Evangelist/' said Min- 
ister Good as lie admitted liim. 

^^Stay tliy heart and hand from any interference in this mat- 
ter, ' ' said Evangelist, after he had announced the purpose of his 
visit. ^'Thon art sent to preach the Gospel. Back of this matter 
is a design to impair thy influence. Seek guidance of the Lord. ' ' 

' ' Thanks for your advice and counsel, ' ' said the ministei . "I 
know well that the love of gold lies at the base of all Hypocrite's 
proceedings, and I had no thought of being drawn into writing 
any such letter. His associations only whip his spirit into greater 
haste to be rich." 

MAYOR HYPOCRITE^S ADMINISTRATION 

As time went on, Man-of-the-World and Hypocrite — having 
Satan always at their elbows, pursued their evil ways even more 
boldly, eagerly staining their hands with gold that had upon it 
the curse of dishonesty and comiption. 

They levied a systematic black-mail upon everj form of evil 
doing, and "protected" the Devil's agents who shared with them 
their ill-gotten gains, from any terrors the law might have for 
them. Soul-destruction was licensed; bribes were unblushingiy 
accepted; and even the judicial ermine was stained by decisions 
dictated by those who controlled the administrative affairs of the 
city. 

Saloons, gambling dens, and brothels did a thriving business 
because a goodly proportion of their gains went into the coffers 
of the "machine," and made possible the elections which re- 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



125 



tained in office tlie friends and tools of the real political manipu- 
lators. 

Satan's gilded traps to ensnare the youth of the city were left 
unmolested, and the Archfiend smiled approvingly upon the ad- 
ministration of Mayor Hypocrite. 

THE MAYOR POCKETS TAINTED MONEY 

^^The thirst for gold is the cause for all these damnable temp- 
tations," said Evangelist to Determination, as with the Angel 
they walked through the City of Worldliness. 

His words were scarcely spoken when I beheld the three stand- 
ing over against the mayor's office, where they could see Hypo- 
crite sitting at his desk. 

Looking up, his eyes fell upon Evangelist and Determination 
only, for the Angel was invisible to him. Quickly he dropped his 
eyes upon the desk, as though he had not seen them, while a pa- 
per he was holding fell from his hand, as for a moment he felt the 
sting of an accusing conscience. 

^^You are responsible for the vice that is rampant in this city! 
The Lord shall require at thy hands, the souls of those who 
perish because of it." So spoke a voice in the soul of Hypocrite. 
It was the voice of the Angel, but he knew it not. 

PRICE OF MANY A CRIME UNTOLD 

A handful of gold lay before him. It was a bribe, which his 
wily henchmen had accepted from a dive-keeper whose license 



126 



THE MODERN THIRST FOR GOLD 



was about to expire. The paper to wliich his signature was about 
to be affixed, was in his hand when the Angel addressed his soul. 

"I am responsible for the condition of the city, and souls that 
perish shall be required at my hands?" asked Hypocrite of him- 
self as he nervously toyed with the gold. ' 'No, indeed. I'm only 
a figurehead. I 'm only a small part of the machine." 

So saying, he gathered up the gold, and as it jingled into his 
pocket, I heard him say: ''This is but my share in the deal any- 
way." Then having trampled upon conscience, he took his pen, 
affixed his signature to the document and passed it on to a clerk. 

"There! That is done," said he as he arose. 

"Yes," replied the Angel once more, "Yes, 'tis done; but thou 
hast sinned against the voice of conscience — thou hast sinned!" 

Hypocrite frowned as he heard the condemning words, but say- 
ing to himself, ' ' these things are done every day, ' ' he passed from 
the office. 

A mother's indignant curse 

That night he had a strange dream. He thought himself a 
king enthroned in gorgeous splendor within a marble jjalace, 
while on every hand innumerable attendants obeyed his every 
command. He saw his coffers filled with gold and treasure, and 
his soul was supremely happy until an angel appeared as he stood 
at eventide in the palace doorway of his dream. With a motion 
of her hand she caused a light to fall upon the darkness, a light 
which dissolved inter\' ening barriers and showed a mother bend- 
ing over her two sons who were steeped in debauchery. Turn- 



THE MODEEN THIEST FOE GOLD 129 



ing toward him, witli eyes of piercing indignation, the mother 
pointed to her boys; and then at him, as she said: 

"Accursed be thy kingdom and thy gold, for thou art guilty 
of the damnation of these, my sons." 

Hypocrite awoke from the dream with great beads of perspira- 
tion standing upon his brow. Sitting upright, he gazed in con- 
sternation in the direction of the vision, but it had gone with 
his awaking. 

"It is some wild nightmare, ' ' he said. 

WHY PRIZE so MUCH THE WORLD's APPLAUSE? 

Then came the voice again; 

"In thy mad thirst for power and riches, thou art opening 
paths of perdition to the youths of the city. AVealth gained at 
such cost is poverty; power thus won, is impotence. Men are 
worth not what they have, but what they are." 

The dream would not fade from his memory. Seated in his 
office on the following day, I heard him say: 

"Two dreams! I wonder what they portend?" 

Just then Man-of-tlie-AVorld came in and said in jocular vein, 
as he handed his friend a check. "Here's your share of another 
^rake-off.' " 

Hypocrite took the check with a mere "yes?" 
"I'm afraid that license matter yesterday was all wrong, Man- 
of-the-AVorld," he ventured by way of changing the conversation. 
"AYrong! Nothing is considered wrong in this game. There 



8— The Modern Devil. 



130 



THE MODERN THIRST FOB GOLD 



is no such word in our lexicon. Brace up! That was all right. 
Did you not get the fee?" 

''Yes, but it 's blood money,'' replied Hypocrite. 

"Don't be chicken-hearted," replied Man-of-the-World. "Has 
Evangelist been after you again?" and with this he laughed 
heartily. 

Throughout the day, the memory of his dream came and went, 
and as often, the accusing finger of the mother made Hypocrite 
miserable; while the words: "Thou art guilty," alternated with 
the message of the Angel. 

HOARDED, BARTERED, BOUGHT AND SOLD 

Unseen, the Good Angel had followed Hypocrite that day, and 
when, that evening, in the home of Miss Sincere, she communi- 
cated the fact of his troubled soul to Evangelist and Determina- 
tion, I heard the good prophet say: 

"Hypocrite hath power and is possessed of great riches, but 
the time shall come when he shall say, 'I have no pleasure in 
them.' " 

As these words fell upon my ears, I felt an invisible hand lead 
me from the spot. Easily we traversed the space between the 
City of Worldliness and the valley in which my tent was pitched, 
and as I threw myself upon the cushions where Evangelist had 
sat, I heard a voice which I recognized as that of the Angel say: 

"Rest now, Child of the Vision, for on the morrow, thou art 
to see strange things." 



CHAPTER VI 



The House of Selfishness 

"Sin of self-love possesseth all mine eye 
And all my soul and all my every part; 
And for this sin there is no remedy, 
It is so grounded inward in my heart. 

"Methinks no face so gracious is as mine. 

No shape so true, no truth of such account; 
And for myself mine own worth do define. 
As I all other in all worths surmount. 

"But when my glass shows me myself indeed, 
Beated and chopp'd with tann'd antiquity, 
Mine own self-love quite contrary I read; 
Self so self-loving were iniquity." 

— Shakespeare, "Songs and Sonnets" 

IT was a dewy morning world upon which I looked. The 
keen breath of the woods came sweetly to me; a band of 
puzzled bees droned nearby in the grass. The young day 
was very fair, and as I drank in its beauty I seemed borne away 
upon the perfumed air. 

On I floated, as in a vague warm dream, and soon the words of 

the Angel came back to me and I remembered that I was to see 

131 



132 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



strange things that day. As I mused upon what these might be, 
all sense of limitation fell away, and I thanked God for a mind 
that could receive and hold all that should be shown to me. 

WHOLE-SOUL AND DETERMIXATIOX SEEK THE HILLS 

AVhen my feet touched the ground, I was beside the King's 
Highway where it left a grove of shapely rounded elms. Just be- 
yond, the massive trunk of a venerable oak marked the spot 
where a road led away to the hills. Passing along this road, al- 
though some distance from me, I could discern the figures of 
Whole-Soul and Determination. 

Soon I was able to overtake them, and, although they knew it 
not, I was their companion as they breasted the ascent and stood 
at last upon a sort of table land or plateau, gazing upon an im- 
posing edifice in the midst of a handsome park, upon which much 
skill and labor had been expended. 

From where we stood we could see men and women, with singu- 
lar countenances and staid demeanor, moving about the grounds 
or passing in and out the edifice, with apparently no thought for 
anyone save themselves. 

Although the sun was high in the heavens, the air was chill, and 
nowhere was there to be heard the song of a bird. The ver^' 
water, as it ran over the rocks of an artificial stream, had a hollow 
sound. 

The barren hills which fonned a background for the scene, lay 
in silence under a mass of sombre clouds, and everything was 
wrapped in an uncanny atmosphere. Still, with all these weird 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



133 



conditions, those dwelling here appeared satisfied with them- 
selves and their environment. 

' ' This place has a strange look, ' ' said Whole-Soul as he pointed 
to the scene before him. 

"It is indeed singular that such an isolated spot should be so 
well kept, and be attended by so large a concourse of people," 
Determination replied. 

''I wonder what place this is," Whole-Soul rejoined, as they 
walked along a little further, stopping at a pleasant way leading 
into the park. 

"This is indeed wonderful," said Determination as he looked 
up the path toward the building. 

"It has the appearance of an ancient castle," Whole-Soul ob- 
served. 

THE CHARMED PATH SEDUCES THEM 

"Yes," Determination assented. "It certainly has upon it the 
marks of age, and in spite of the ungracious atmosphere there is 
a peculiar fascination about the place." 

"I feel it too," replied Whole-Soul, and, as though led by a 
power they could not resist, both he and Deter-mination would 
have entered the path, had it not been for the Angel who now ap- 
peared. 

' ' Stay thy steps ! ' ' she cried. ' ' Venture not upon the Charmed 
Path, for it is fraught with great danger!" 



134 THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



THE ANGEL BREAKS THE SPELL 

By her words the charm was broken, and, as men aroused from 
stupor, they looked into the face of the Angel. 

''Fear not,'' she continued. "I have come to save thee from 
the subtle influence of this path," and so saying, she led them 
forth a little way. 

''What place is this?" asked Determination. 

"This is the hill upon which the Christ was once tempted; and 
yonder edifice is known as the House of Selfishness," the Angel 
answered. 

' ' The Hill upon which He was tempted ! ' ' said Whole-Soul, so- 
liloquizing. 

"Yes, the mount of a far-reaching temptation," replied the An- 
gel. "And those who inhabit this place were tempted of Satan 
to set forth upon the Charmed Path. ' ' 

"It is then of the Archfiend's planning," ventured Determina- 
tion as he strained his eyes to see far into the place. 

"It is his plan to thwart Christians by deadening their sense 
of love for mankind, and recentering life upon self," said 
the Angel. 

SELF-LOVE APPEARS 

"But look ye yonder!" she continued, as she pointed to the 
Charmed Way, where there appeared an old man who stood with 
extended arms close by the house, while in the path were a num- 
ber of persons bearing peculiar looking parcels. Impelled by the 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHXESS 



135 



will of this old man they rushed forward and were soon lost 
within the place. 

' 'AVho are these?' ' asked AVhole-Soul. 

''These are they, who. susceptible to greed and self-satisfac- 
tion, have yielded to the magnetism and charm of the keeper 
of the place," answered the Angel. 

"And who is the keeper of the place?" Determination asked. 

"One whose name is Self -Love, a man of many years, and a 
warm friend, although a dupe, of the Archfiend," the Angel re- 
plied. 

'•Then he hath served long in this place," rejoined Determina- 
tion. 

"Yes," she responded, "since the place was first instituted; 
then it was that the Archfiend gave him charge of it. He hath 
been a trusted servant." 

IN SELFISH BOXDS 

"When was this establishment begun?" asked AATiole-Soul. 

"Since the day when the first parents disobeyed the will of God 
to please self, ' ' the Angel sadly replied. 

"Is it then an imprisonment to reside here?" asked Determina- 
tion. 

"Those who live here, do not so regard it; but none are so 
surely incarcerated as those who have sufi'ered the finer sensibili- 
ties of the soul to be bound by the treacherous hands of Self- 
Love," she answered. 

"And are there many who are imprisoned?" 



136 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



"Thousands live and end tlieir days here," replied the Angel 
with a tone of regret. 

Thns I learned the nature of the place and understood the plan 
by which Satan fastened his curse upon the souls whom he thus 
ensnared. Every comfort calculated to gratify the individual, 
characterized the appointments of the edifice, where scores of ser- 
vants moved about anticipating the whims and foibles of those 
who resided here. 

DECEPTION COMES ON THE SCENE 

Then I beheld one huny by and pass ujd the Charmed Way, and 
noted that his manner betokened familiarity with the place. 
Self -Love, the kee^Der, came forth to meet him, and extended his 
hand cordially in his greeting. 

''What success?" he inquired of the new comer. 

' ' Only fair, ' ' was the reply. 

"Hast thou had a long journey?" Self -Love again inquired. 

' ' Quite a way. I have just now come from the castle, whither 
I went for further instruction," he replied. 

It occurred to me that I had seen this one before, but I was 
confused in mind as to where it had been, and what might be his 
name. 

Then I heard the Angel say : 

"Self -Love and Deception are men of bold action and have en- 
ticed thousands up yonder path and lodged them in the House 
of Selfishness." 

Then I knew that the strano^r was none other than Deception, 
the colleague of Satan, whom I had seen aforetime. 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 137 



Within the House of Selfishness which had been furnished by 
the Archfiend, I saw two men seated comfortably by a window, 
and noticed how thoroughly absorbed they were with self as they 
looked out upon an expanse of country called the Park of Ease. 

MAN-OF-THE-WORLD AND HYPOCRITE AT THEIR EASE 

Looking again, I saw that the two were. Man-of -the- World and 
Hypocrite. 

Falling in with Deception some days before, he had led them 
into the Charmed Path and introduced them to Self-Love, who, 
by reason of their standing in the city, paid special attention to 
their comfort. 

''This is indeed a remarkable spot," said Man-of-the-World. 
*'The atmosphere frees you of all relation to others. One has 
time to give thought and attention to self. ' ' 

"There is nothing like doing as you please, and the sense of 
independence which prevails here is certainly delicious,'' an- 
swered Hypocrite. 

"Every one for himself, is our motto here," said Self-Love 
to the two. "Eat, drink and be merr>\ Let the world run on. 
We have solved the secret of getting rid of all anxiety concerning 
others." 

"It is indeed refreshing, ' ' they both replied. 

As Determination and Whole-Soul turned to go toward the 
city where they intended to meet Evangelist, the Angel said to 
them: "Now thou dost know that, he that saveth his life shall 
lose it." 



138 THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



Again I saw the dark clouds touch the rim of the barren hills, 
as the Angel parted from the two; and then I heard her say as 
she passed on toward the Valley of the Cross : 

Would I might rescue those who tarry within yonder dwell- 
ing, ere their souls become insensible to the needs of mankind.'' 

THE COUNCIL AT THE PARSONAGE 

Whole-Soul and Determination found Evangelist at the home 
of Minister Good, and after relating the experiences of the morn- 
ing, began to question him regarding the House of Selfishness. 
In reply, the prophet, who had long known of its existence, told 
them many things, which I, still their unseen companion, could 
hear as well. 

''The House of Selfishness," said Evangelist, ''was created by 
Satan at the time his Castle of All Evil was built. To Self-Love, 
the keeper, whom you saw, was committed the task of its con- 
struction, and when the house was completed, the management of 
it was entrusted to him. So well has he attended to his duties 
that a great host are yearly ensnared by the subtleties of its com- 
forts, and seldom are able to quit this abode. The House of 
Selfishness hath been the source of great harm to the race; and 
some day the forces of the Christian Church must be massed 
against it." 

"The place is certainly a great evil to mankind, and yet, it 
stands not a great ways distant from the Cross," replied De- 
termination. 

"All of Satan's strongest conceptions are worked within this 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 139 



vicinity; for he recognizes the Cross as the point from which the 
power of the Church proceeds, ' ' explained the prophet. 

''We understand," answered Whole-Soul. ''Dwelleth any- 
other soul in this section 

THE STORY OF MISER 

''Yes, one by the name of Miser, who was educated by Self- 
Love centuries ago. He established himself on the hillside be- 
yond the park in which it stands, that he might have ever in sight 
the House of Selfishness. He is gray, being of great age and hath 
accumulated much wealth, ' ' answered Evangelist. 

"To what purpose does he live?" asked Determination. 

" To none save himself and his gold. He despiseth the cry of 
the poor and those in distress, and seldom departs from the se- 
clusion of his chosen resort." 

"And is he a friend of Self -Love, who keeps the House of 
Selfishness?" queried Whole-Soul. 

"Yes," answered the prophet. "The two have been close 
friends for centuries, and through them, the Archfiend hath done 
much to retard the progress of Christ's Kingdom, for they have 
discipled all nations with their false philosophy. ' ' 

With these words, his form and that of the other faithful ser- 
vants of the Most High, melted away into shadows and then were 
lost entirely. 

THE ANGEL INSTRUCTS DETERMINATION 

Once more that day, I saw Determination, and the Angel was 



140 THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



with liim; for they had met beyond the city in the Valley of the 
Cross. It was night, and in the distance, the House of Selfish- 
ness could be plainly seen by reason of the blaze of light which 
streamed from its many windows. 

* ' Son of man, ' ' the Angel said, " it is for thee to defeat the pro- 
jects of Satan in yonder place. The Lord hath directed me to 
guide thee in the undertaking. ' ' 

"I shall follow thy instructions,'' Determination replied, and 
so saying, the two passed along the King's Highway till they 
came to a knoll where they sat down to confer. 

Then I saw the Archtiend stealing noiselessly along in the 
shadow to learn the secret of their conference. 

Begone, thou Enemy of Souls! Begone!" cried the Angel 
whose keen sense had detected the satanic presence; and then as 
her finger steadily pointed at him, the heart of Satan failed him 
and he hastened into the darkness, and the two were left alone. 

THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS IS DOOMED 

''Thou hast before thee a task demanding much wisdom and 
patience," said the Angel to Determination, "but the Lord will 
supply thy need according to His riches of grace in Christ Jesus. 
Fear not, for thou shalt succeed as thou hast hitherto done." 

''With thy help, I shall not hesitate to undertake the annihila- 
tion of the House of Selfishness, ' ' answered Determination. 

Then the Angel began to instruct him concerning the place, 
first revealing the Archfiend's purpose in locating the edifice at 
that spot. 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 141 



''Thou hast seen the bare hills which lie between the house and 
the Cross ! ' ' she asked. 

"I have seen them and the dense clouds which rest upon their 
barren crests,'^ replied Determination. 

THE HILLS OF DELUSION HIDE THE CROSS 

''These are known as the Hills of Delusion," she continued, 
' 'and serve as a wall by which to hide the Cross from the eyes of 
those who dwell under the care of Self-Love. Satan, in locating 
the house, planned that these barren hills should serve this pur- 
pose." 

"Many of those who dwell there, have seen the Cross and heard 
the message concerning it," said Determination. 

"Yes," replied the Angel. "This is true, but the spirit of the 
house can alone be taught to those from whose soul the vision of 
the Cross is concealed." 

"To thee it is given to destroy the work of Satan which hath 
long been operative in this place. The Lord shall aid thee. Seek 
wisdom of Him," and thus assuring him, the Angel departed 
and Determination was alone. 

"What canst thou doT' said a voice out of the night, and with 
the words, Determination heard a mocking laughter from the 
darkness. 

"It is the Enemy. Fear him not," whispered a voice within 
his soul. 

DETERMINATION DEFIES THE DEVIL 

"Get thee behind me, Satan!" said Determination with a voice 
of resolve which caused a tremor of fear within the Archfiend. 



142 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



^ ' This desert shall yet bloom ; and the glory of the Cross shall 
yet bathe the fields in which the insidious poisons of thy vile 
heart have been sown. The Lord Almighty hath named an end to 
thy liberties, and I am he upon whom the task of redemption hath 
fallen. I defy thee and all thy demoniac band ! ' ' 

^^We must go and warn Self-Love against this man. All 
must be on guard at the House of Selfishness, for this fellow hath 
worsted our plans heretofore,'' said Deception, ''for it was he 
who had mocked the fearless servant of God." 

"It is the only thing to do, ' ' replied Satan, who accompanied 
Deception. 

"0 God, give to me Thy strength, and lead me in Thy ways, 
that I may bring the influence of Thy love unto the souls of those 
who abide in the House of Selfishness. ' ' 

With these words, Determination voiced his desire to the Lord 
of Hosts, as for a time he tarried upon the knoll in the darkness. 

''Go thou forward, I shall be with thee," came the words of 
assurance to his soul. 

DETERMINATION DELIVERS HIS MESSAGE 

On the morrow. Determination stood within the grounds 
around the House of Selfishness. The keeper, Self-Love, was 
much confused by his presence; for many began to gather about 
Determination as he stood in the Park of Ease preaching in plain 
words against the witchery of the place, and with great earnest- 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



143 



ness describing the glory of the Cross which lay beyond the Hills 
of Delusion. 

Many doubted the message and sank back into ease, while 
others believed his words and expressed a desire to journey 
thither. 

' ' We make a pilgrimage on the morrow, ' ' said Determination. 
^'We shall stand upon yonder barren hills and behold the beauti- 
ful land of the Cross in which dwell the children of the King of 
Kings; the land in which all is love; and where no evil thing can 
offend.'' 

"We shall go with thee, that our eyes may behold the glorious 
land of which thou hast spoken, ' ' said quite a number. 

And have ye never journeyed to the summit of yonder hills to 
behold what lies beyond f ' ' asked Determination. 

' ' It is against the rule of the place ; and Self -Love forbids those 
who live here to journey further than the Park of Ease, ' ' they ex- 
plained. 

SELF-LOVE AND DECEPTION ARE SCARED 

Then I beheld that the old keeper was in great confusion of 
mind; and that soon he and Deception were closeted together 
seeking to devise means to defeat the work of Determination. 

At length it was agreed tliat Deception should address the peo- 
ple, and soon they gathered in a large auditorium, each wearing 
upon the face the marks of selfishness which had its severest 
expression in the hard and cruel lineaments of Self-Love, who 
occupied a prominent seat. 



144 THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



In well chosen words, Deception sought to lull the hearts of such 
as had heard the message of Determination, into complete satis- 
faction with themselves and their surroundings. 

' ' Trouble begins for all when their eyes have once seen beyond 
the hills, ' ' he announced. ' ' To keep the heart placid and undis- 
turbed by considerations other than those for your own comfort 
and peace, this place, into which good Self-Love hath led you, 
hath been provided.'* 

The old keeper, with a grin upon his wrinkled face, nodded 
his head in confirmation of Deception's words. 

THERE IS A GRANDER LIFE 

Suddenly the door opened, and there stood Determination, 
whom many had come to know by name. Both disgust and cha- 
grin showed themselves upon the faces of Self-Love and Decep- 
tion. 

''Let the young man speak!" cried many voices. "Let him 
state his mission!" 

Amid words of protest from Self-Love and his plausible col- 
league. Determination said: 

"The story of the heart is recorded upon the face; and I be- 
hold lines of disappointment drawn upon the countenances of 
those here gathered. 

"There is a grander life than that which is here taught. The 
Christ whose shining Cross yet stands beyond the hills which 
cloud this valley, lived to bear the wealth of love's blessing to all 
mankind. He went about doing good. He taught, and experi- 




145 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



147 



ence hath i3roved the truth of His words, that those vrho keep 
life but for themselves shall lose its joys. There can no hann come 
in beholding the Cross except to disturb the hurtful complacency 
of this life. To-morrow at day-break, we shall cross the Hills of 
Delusion and behold the splendid vision of the Cross, ' ' so saying. 
Determination left the place. 

These words of the stranger broke up the repose of spirit into 
which many of this house had drifted; and the desire upon the 
part of them to look beyond, the hills, put at naught the persua- 
sions of Self-Love and Deception which quickly followed the 
announcement of Determination. 

EVANGELIST LEADS A PILGRIMAGE 

Evangelist, who had learned through the Angel, of Determina- 
tion's labors, gathered a number of faithful men, among whom 
was Whole-Soul, and started with the desire of facilitating the 
efforts of this servant of God. ''We shall seek the summit of 
the hills, and there we shall meet Determination and those whom 
God gives him, to behold the Cross." 

In my vision I saw the prophet and his company traverse the 
Valley of the Cross, and beheld them toiling up the barren hills. 
The first streaks of dawn welcomed them as they stood upon the 
crest, and saw the Hill of Calvary emblazoned with the glories 
of a new day which held the promise of great victorv^ for God, 
over hearts long chained by the enslavement of Self-Love and his 
servants. 

''Let us pray while we await their coming," said Evangelist, 

9 — The Modern Devil. 



us 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



and tlien under the mist clouds which were being kissed away by 
the sun, the company knelt and sought divine leading for the 
work of the day. 

THE WAY IS MADE EASY 

By direction of the Angel, Determination, as he led forth his 
party from the House of Self-Love, came upon the path which 
Evangelist and his company had made, and marvelled within his 
soul that the way to the mountain should have been thus pre- 
pared for their ascent. 

Enthusiasm everywhere abounded and the spirit of Determina- 
tion possessed the mind of all who followed him. 

''Here they come!" shouted Whole-Soul as he cast his expec- 
tant eyes toward the House of Selfishness. ' 'Here they come, and 
in the lead is Determination!" Then across the baiTen crest of 
the hills rang cut a chorus of jubilant voices, which put new 
heart into all who had made the toilsome ascent. 

Then came the great moment when the two companies met. The 
eyes of all from the fold of Self-Love rested ujDon the gray 
prophet, who welcomed Determination and gave to each of the 
company an earnest word of salutation, in the name of his God. 

THE CROSS IS IN SIGHT 

"Yonder lies the object of thy quest," said he, as with his 
staff the prophet pointed to the Cross which stood as a work of 
pure gold under the marv^elous touch of the morning sunlight. 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 149 



The company stood in silence as they beheld the scene, and in 
turn Evangelist and Determination interpreted to them the story 
of love written for all mankind by Him who once hung upon it. 

^'He calleth thee to leave the abode of ease and comfort of 
which the keeper is Self -Love. He calleth thee, to follow with us, 
in His path ; for after all, no way is so charmed with blessings as 
the way He took to heal the hearts of the sinful and lowly," 
pleaded Evangelist. 

We have sinned; we have been ensnared by the cruel philoso- 
phy of Self -Love ; we shall follow Jesus, ' ' replied the company. 

' ^ Tis the way of Sacrifice ; 'tis the way of the Cross ; but the 
path is rich with blessings ; for His angels yet walk with such as 
have His niind, ' ' added the prophet. 

Then as the glories of the light from beyond pencilled the hills 
with a glory such as they had never seen, the company burst forth 
in a song which Whole-Soul taught them, and I listened with rap- 
ture to the words by which those of the House of Selfishness con- 
secrated their lives to the mission of the Cross. The barren hills 
echoed and re-echoed the sound of their voices and carried the 
song nigh to their former home hard by the Park of Ease. 

''It is our duty, in the name of the Christ, to destroy the in- 
fluence of the House of Selfishness, and rescue those who are daily 
led into its retreat," explained Determination to those who had 
followed him. 

THE SEED CALLED HEARt's DESIRE 

A member of the company then revealed to Determination one 



150 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



of the secrets of Self-Love by wliich many, passing along the 
King's Highway, were tempted to enter the House of Selfish- 
ness. 

''Close to the Charmed Path," said he, ''lies a field in which 
Deception and Self-Love have planted a seed called Heart's 
Desire, and this, when matured, exhales a fragrance which stupe- 
fies the nobler purposes of those of weak resolve who pass by. 
Close to this field, thousands have halted, only to find the warm 
hand of Self-Love clasping theirs. Then he entices them into the 
Charmed Path and soon he has them in the House of Selfishness. 
Thus we came to it; and had it not been for thee, the vision from 
beyond the barren hills had never been seen by us. ' ' 

"It is of Satan's sowing, this field of Heart's Desire," said 
Evangelist who had listened intently. ' ' Herein lies the danger to 
13ilgrims' feet. Temptations in these days come with fragrant 
breath. ' ' 

Then I beheld the Angel take Determination aside and whis^ 
per to him a message of instruction, and as he returned, his face 
was bright with the light of a new resolve, which took shape later. 
Gathering his company to him they stole out in the hours of the 
night and mowed down the growth of the field; and as morning 
dawned, Self-Love looked forth to behold it withering upon the 
ground. 

OTHERS SEEK THE BARREN HILLS 

From his house by the hillside. Miser marked the change in the 
atmosphere, and many who had dwelt with ease and nonchalance 
within the home of Self-Love began to grow restless and dis- 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



151 



contented. Longings for departure came into their hearts, and not 
many days after, the old keeper stood in despair at the entrance 
of the Charmed Path entreating passing pilgrims to enter. His 
power was gone. 

Daily, those of his household took the path Detennination had 
made, and each morning the barren hills witnessed the presence 
of those who longed to look beyond. Evangelist was there to in- 
struct them in the meaning of the life of which the Cross spoke ; 
and such as made the pilgrimage returned not, but followed De- 
termination into the path of a life of loving devotion to truth, 
and service among men. 

BUT SEE HIM ON THE EDGE OF LIFE 

Deception lost heart as he saw the waning prestige of the 
House of Selfishness; and a wail of lament went forth from the 
soul of Self-Love as he acknowledged the hox^eless plight into 
which, after the labors of long years, he had fallen. 

Miser sought to comfort him in his despair, but lo, his soul, as 
well, was in the hold of helpless confusion, and the wrath of Sa- 
tan but added to the indescribable misery of the pair. 

*'Thy house is left deserted; thy choice tield is waste, and thy 
mountain of defense hath become the battlements from which 
pilgrims behold the Cross and learn the message of the Saviour's 
love," said Evangelist as he met the miserable old man. ^^Come 
thou with us. Deny thyself and follow the Christ." 

Self-Love looked wonderingly into the face of the prophet ; but 
much as his desire struggled, the chains of the past bound him, 



152 



THE HOUSE OF SELFISHNESS 



and in my vision I beheld liim standing* alone under a starless 
sky, with the day of his once fair hopes fading beyond his reach. 

SATAN CURSES HIS TOOLS 

His house was empty. A strange sense of abject loneliness 
hung as a depressing vapor upon the place; and in the hush of 
night, the hooting of the owls alone broke the silence, as they 
flitted to and fro along the eaves of the empty edifice. The 
sobs of Self -Love were pitiable; for sleep was now a stranger to 
his eyes ; and by his bed were none to comfort ; for the Archfiend 
n derision stood there heaping upon his crushed and disappointed 
spirit, volleys of wrath and displeasure. 

Again hath the Almighty torn asunder my plans! Again hath 
these puppets of His thwarted me ! The trusted servants in whom 
I placed the utmost confidence are impotent to serve me!" mut- 
tered Satan as he passed into the night; only to hear a song of 
triumph from the company of Determination encamped upon the 
hills between him and the Cross. 

''Child of the Vision, said a voice beside me, as alone in my 
tent I meditated long and deeply. "Did I not tell thee thou 
shouldst see strange things? Take thy rest now, for on the mor- 
row, much more shall be revealed to thee. God has thee in His 
holy keeping.'' 

Then kind sleep wrapped me in its arms and I knew no more. 



CHAPTER VII 



The Path of the Primrose 

"You must begin your education with the distinct resolution to 
know what is true, and make choice of the straight and rough road 
to such knowledge. This choice is offered to every youth and maid at 
some moment of their life ; — choice between the easy downward road, 
so broad that we can dance down it in companies, and the steep and 
narrow way which we must enter alone." 

— Browning, "Mornings in Florence." 

I WAS awakened by the touch of the AngePs hand, and 
together we left the tent in the valley. ^'This day thou 
shalt stand upon the Hill of Prospect, ' ' she said in answer 
to the question in my eyes. 

The way was long and steep and the summit was only reached 
after much arduous climbing, but the clear atmosphere at that 
height gave to my eyes a far-reaching sight. 

Then the Angel handed me a glass of curious form and bade me 
look through it in the direction she indicated. ''Thou shalt see 
spiritual things,'- she said; and at her words my soul wasi 
strangely stirred, for as I looked I beheld the Bridge of Sighs, 
and passing over it was the great company of the redeemed from 
all the nations of the earth. 

153 



154 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMEOSE 



"Look to the far land beyond tlie bridge," she said, and I 
obeyed ; and then, for the first time, I saw with rapture the ' ' city 
which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. ' ' To 
this holy and glorious city the vast multitude were hastening with 
gladdened Sbteps. Willingly would I have gazed u]3on it for hours 
and days, but m}^ guide soon bade me turn away from the joyous 
vision, and before the glass arose the world in which I had my 
sojourn. 

A GREAT LIGHT FALLS UPON THE CITY 

Before my eyes rose the City of Worldliness, and as I beheld 
that home of greed and corruption, a great search-light fell upon 
it. The doings of its people soon became plainly visible. The 
light pierced the walls of the houses, and I saw those who lived 
within the great city, the pious and the sinful alike, the pure of 
heart and the corrupt. 

''Now thou dost see as God sees," said the Angel, ''for there 
is nothing hidden from His view." 

I placed my hands to my eyes, seeking to hide the soul-dis- 
turbing vision, but the Angel said: 

UNDER THE LIGHT OF REVELATION 

"Let not thy heart fail thee. I have brought thee here to be- 
hold the secret depths of the city under the search-light of reve- 
lation, for the Lord has appointed thee to behold its sin and hid- 
eous hypocrisy and to reveal them to the world." 

I looked again. Still the light grew more piercing. Before me 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMEOSE 



155 



lay the false and foul conditions of modern society, and I saw, 
afar, the Primrose Path by which Satan leads his blinded victims 
into the Pit of Destruction. The city's walls and roofs grew thin 
as delicate draperies, and became transparent as the strange light 
touched them. From mansion to hovel, the loathsome tragedies 
of sin were being enacted before my eyes. 

THE LIGHT FALLS UPON THE CROSS 

Where is the hope of salvation amid such sinful scenes as 
theser' I asked. 

^ 'Be not of doubtful mind, ' ' replied the Angel ; and as she spoke 
the light was turned aside and its searching gleam fell upon the 
Cross whereupon had hung the world's Redeemer. 

''Here is the hope you crave,'' she said, "for it is written, 
'And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto 
me.' " 

With these words she vanished, and sadly I retraced my steps. 
At the foot of the hill I met a venerable form, which I recognized 
as that of Evangelist. 

"Whence hast thou come?" he inquired. 

Then I told him of the vision which it had been mine to behold, 
and of the terrible array of sin which had been revealed to me 
within the great city. 

' ' Ah, thou hast seen it from a distance, ' ' said he. ' ' I have come 
from its midst and have witnessed it in all its noisomeness. ' ' 

"And what has been thy mission then?" I ventured to inquire. 



156 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



^'To bear the name of the Christ to the downtrodden," he 
answered. 

Far as the city was, I qnickly reached it in my dream. Evan- 
gelist still beside me. As we passed through the streets, he 
showed me many of the things he had learned. 

THE PLEASING BEGINNINGS OF SIN 

He brought me to a large mansion, where feasting, mnsic, and 
dancing were in progress, and the effect of the wine-cup was visi- 
ble in the faces of many of those present. 

''Have I not seen this place before?" I asked. 

"Very likely. It is the home of Mr. Hypocrite, the mayor of 
the city — the man wlio grants unbridled license to sins which 
undermine the morality of its citizens." 

Men and women, many of them pillars in the churches, were 
there, sharing in the pleasures of worldly dissipation, forgetful 
of the vows which they had taken. 

"These are the beginnings of sin," said Evangelist. "While 
the sweet is yet unmixed with the bitter, it is hard to turn men 
from the paths of error." 

"From the Hill of Prospect I saw the end to which such begin- 
nings lead," I said. "Will the Lord spare the city!" 

' ' The Lord is ver^^ long-suffering. It is not His desire that any 
should perish," he answered. 

"But many of these who are walking in the ways of sin have 
wilfully broken away from the influences of religion, and wan- 
tonly chosen a life of dissipation and pleasure; will He not pun- 
ish such?" 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 



157 



*^The time of all sucli shall come. Sorrow, like wormwood, 
shall in time be mingled with their wine, and wails of anguish 
shall supplant their songs of merriment and feasting," gravely 
said the patriarch. 

THE ANGEL PLEADS FOR THE CITY 

Passing onward, and witnessing scene after scene of sinfulness, 
we came at length to the city's confines, and here, in a moment, 
T found myself alone. I turned my eyes backward and again 
looked upon the city, which lay in its iniquity under the cover of 
darkness, for night had fallen as we pursued our mission. Sud- 
denly I saw above, in the air, the form of the Angel with hands 
outstretched and head uplifted, facing the Cross. 

"0 God, spare this city! Spare it, Almighty Father! and save 
Thy erring people ! ' ' she cried in thrilling accents. ' ' Spare it for 
the sake of Him who was crucified for the sake of the whole world 
upon yonder Cross.'' 

Then I heard a voice from out the great depth of Pleaven in 
answer to the prayer of the Angel. 

''Thy intercession hath reached mine ear, and in the name and 
by the power of Him who sitteth on my right hand, thy prayer in 
behalf of the city shall be answered." 

DETERMINATION PROPOSES TO REFORM THE CITY" 

Then, her face beaming with joy, the form of the Angel faded 
and the light died away. The wonderful scene which I had been 
suffered to behold vanished and I was amid earthly things again. 



158 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 



Near me stood one with familiar face. A second look showed 
me it was Determination, who had led the company to the Cross 
and who also had, at the instance of the Angel, mastered the in- 
trigues of Satan in the Valley of the Mist. 

I had last seen him planning to cnt down the growth of Heart 's 
Desire in the pleasant field by the Charmed Path, and now npon 
his face was the stern look of resolution which he had then borne. 
There were with him a number of earnest souls, and listening to 
their words, I found they were conversant with the perilous con- 
dition of the city, and also heard them with intense enthusiasm 
pledge themselves to seek to reform it. 

^'You then have traversed and studied itf I asked of Deter- 
mination. ' ' You are familiar with its evil ways f ' ' 

' ' I have been here many times with Evangelist, in his work of 
mercy, ' ' he replied. 

SATAN TEACHES A FALSE PHILOSOPHY 

He went on to give me a vivid description of the corruption 
which he found to prevail, adding : ' ' And Satan has an army of 
quiet workers in this city, who, by teaching false philosophy con- 
cerring life, are corrupting the very elect. 

^ ' Not a day passes but what the wives and daughters of promi- 
nent men play games for the sake of paltry prizes; and so steeped 
are they in this empty frivolity, that they are ready to sacrifice 
their home, time, health, and the few offices of mercy to which 
hitherto their most gracious hours and earnest prayers were 
given. ^' 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



159 



^^Wliat can be done to remedy these conditions?" I asked. 

' 'For this very work we have come, ' ' said Determination. ' ' By 
the power of the Cross, we propose to inaugurate a movement 
which shall reform and cleanse the city. ' ' 

''Thy discernment of the city's sin is too true, and the need of 
a thorough cleansing is everywhere apparent, but think you that 
thy methods are the wisest ? " I asked. 

"I have planned to prove them so," he replied. 

Then he left me, and in a moment more the Guardian Angel 
stood by my side. 

THE SILENT WORK OF THE ANGEL 

''Whence earnest thou?" I inquired 

"From prayer and silent work among those who this past 
night have strayed from their higher and truer convictions, ' ' re- 
plied the Angel. 

"Hast thou met with Determination, who, with others like him- 
self, is seeking to reform the city?" I asked. 

"Yes," replied the Angel, "and I sought to dissuade him from 
pursuing his purpose along the lines he has in mind. The slum- 
bering conscience, first of all, needs awakening, and perhaps the 
harvest of sin must be gathered, before the bitterness of the pleas- 
ures which now engage men is fully realized." 

SATAN ORDERS SIN MADE MORE POPULAR 

Then the Angel once more took me by the hand, and unseen we 



160 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 



traversed many streets. Halting before one of the most fash- 
ionable drinking-places in the city, she pushed back the door and 
we passed in. Beyond were quiet rooms, and in one of these we 
saw Satan and a band of his most skilful fiends. 

"I hear the city is to be reformed," he was saying. ''I won- 
der if these fanatics think I can be deposed from the rulership of 
this great human hive ? 

^^Fill the city with new pleasures and delights, and see to it 
that they are made as attractive and enticing as possible. Seek 
to introduce each sin by making it popular among the aristoc- 
racy. Mr. Hypocrite and Mr. Man-of-the-World will be success- 
ful leaders if you can interest them. This is an age of pleasure- 
seeking, and if you can allure the young, you have solved the 
problem. ' ' 

*'We shall execute your orders," said they, and sallied forth. 

^'Now," said the Angel, as once more I felt her hand touch 
mine, ''another scene awaits you," and we departed as we had 
entered, unseen by mortal eyes. 

MISS sincere's loving work 

*' 'The poor always ye have with you,' " the Angel had once 
said to Miss Sincere, and from that time the earnest worker for 
the Master had mingled with them daily, teaching the lessons of 
Jesus' love and life. 

She had become especially solicitous that the children of those 
among whom she lovingly wrought should be kept from sinful 
paths as they grew to manhood and womanhood, and as a result 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



161 



a mission school had been begun to which she devoted much of her 
time and means. It was to this mission that the Angel was now 
leading me. 

''Thou hast this night seen Satan plotting to ensnare the 
souls of men," she said to me. "Thou shall now see God's child 
thwarting his plans. ' ' So saying, she opened the door upon which 
were the words GOSPEL MISSION and we passed in. 

Miss Sincere was alone in the room kneeling by her chair, and 
we could hear the words that fell from her lips: 

"Teach me, dear Lord, wliat Thou wouldst have me know ; 
Guide me, dear Lord, where Thou wouldst have me go; 
Help me, dear Lord, Thy precious seed to sow; 
Bless Thou the seed that it may surely grow; 
Thus guided, helped, and taught, and blessed, I know 
That from my life a stream of love shall flow 
To brighten other lives where'er I go. 
In my heart, dear Lord, Thy blest abode now take, 
And grant my prayer, dear Lord, for Jesus' sake." 

"Her work for the day is over," said the Angel, as we regained 
the street. ' ' She is asking guidance for the morrow. Her work 
is pleasing to the Lord." 

AVith these words, the Angel left me, and as I stood watching 
her retreating figure I was swiftly caught up and borne along un- 
til I was set down at the door of the tent which I had come to look 
upon as my earthly home. 

The sun was high in the heavens when I awakened, and soon I 



162 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMEOSE 



was on my way back to the City of Worldliness where I hoped to 
find the Angel. 

THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 

Before reaching the city, however, I met Evangelist, who had 
just left it on an errand of mercy to a home in the valley. While 
we were conversing, quite a company of young men and women 
came out of the city, and the prophet accosted them. 
Whence journey ye?" he asked. 

^^To the Pavilion of Pleasure," replied one whose name was 
Light Heart. 

^'This is not a safe path for inexperienced feet like thine," 
rejoined Evangelist. 

"Pay no attention to him, he is some old fanatic," said Light 
Heart to his companions, at which they all raised a shout of 
laughter. 

With Light Heart were two others, who, with himself, seemed 
to be leaders of the company. Their names were Presumption and 
Incredulous. As the three loitered somewhat behind their com- 
panions, who had gone forward merrily. Evangelist entered into 
conversation with them. 

''Knowest thou the name of this highway?" he asked. 

"It is called the Path of the Primrose," was the reply. 

"So it is," said Evangelist. "It takes its name from the 
flowers which border it, but knowest thou the dangers which lurk 
nigh to it I" 

"There are no dangers," hastily replied Presumption. 
"You cannot frighten us," said Light Heart. 




tSee 2^ 1H5. 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



165 



''Far be it from me to fill thy souls with false fears, or to limit 
thee in any legitimate pleasure; but this is one of the ways of 
death which Satan maintains for the peril of immortal souls, such 
as those of your merry company," said Evangelist. 

"Ha! Ha!" laughed Incredulous, "you cannot turn us back 
with such chaff; thousands of others have taken this way and 
have come to no harm. ' ' 

"Little dost thou know, my young friend, of what has hap- 
pened along this road. These primroses are placed here by de- 
sign. The peril is hidden by the flowers. ' ' 

At this the three laughed loudly, and hurried on to join their 
friends. 

Bidding adieu to the good prophet, I kept on my way to the 
city, and entering it moved slowly along its busy streets medi- 
tating upon Evangelist's warning to those who danced so merrily 
along the Primrose Path. 

Seeming to care not where I went, I allowed myself to be car- 
ried along by the human current that ebbed and flowed along the 
thoroughfares, and, although I saw much that day, I made no 
record of what befel me until night had fallen upon the fevered 
city. Then I felt once more the touch of the Angel's hand, and 
under her guidance saw many strange things. 

Satan's midnight marauders 

Passing along the quiet streets, I saw Satan meet a band of his 
demons whose errand was to entrap the young. The leader of 
the company saluted the Archfiend and then said : 

10 — The Modern Devil. 



166 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



''Old Evangelist and the Angel intend to reveal the truth con- 
cerning the Primrose Path. I fear that the young people of the 
city will detect the danger ere we can entrap them/' 

''That 's news to me," rejoined Satan. "Are these two at work 
again in the city? See to it that the path is well kept, and suffer 
not these untiring enemies of ours to destroy our work. ' ' 

"Who can hinder them if they begin to show the dangers of 
the Primrose Path?" asked one who remembered some past ex- 
perience. 

' ' Stir up trouble everywhere, and so take their attention from 
the Pavilion of Pleasure," was Satan's reply. 

"That man, Determination, is working in the city and has 
wrought much damage already," said Satan to himself, "but 
nothing that cannot be repaired," he added. "He is too hasty. 
Evangelist and the Angel are our most formidable antagonists." 

THE PIT OF DEATH 

During the night Evangelist prayed, and in answer the Lord 
caused a great death-dew to fall ujDon the flowers along the Prim- 
rose Path, and in the morning their beauty was consumed and 
the borders of the Pit of Death, which they had concealed, were 
plainly to be seen. 

"See! See! the danger of this path," said Evangelist to those 
who had come forth from the city to behold the unusual sight. 
"Yonder pavilion at which the young people of the city congre- 
gate is but a snare of the Devil, and these flowers were intended 



THE PATH OF THE PEBIEOSE 



167 



to conceal the deatli-trap into Tvliicli a great number have 
already fallen. 

• Come near/' he entreated, as Detennination and his com- 
pany raked back the dead flowers. "Gaze upon this," as he 
pointed to the ravine where lay the bones of hundreds of young 
men and women who had fallen over the brink and there found 
an untimely death. As they looked upon the scene, all shrank 
back and many fainted. 

''Look ye all!" cried Evangelist. "There lies the haiwest of 
the city's recklessness and sin. The Lord will not hold those in 
authority innocent of this work." 

Once more the multitude looked down upon the dr^^ bones of 
those slain by the lust of pleasure, as they lay there in the light 
of the morning sun. 

EVANGELIST SOUXDS A NOTE OF WARNING 

Satan stood not far from Evangelist as he denounced the sins 
of the city, and dared not utter one word in defense of the ca- 
lamity he had secretly wrought. 

As the Angel sought to direct attention to him. he fled, while 
the gathering multitude lingered near the valley of dead bones, to 
hear from the lips of the prophet the words of waiming to such 
as were lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. 

*Tum ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, 
and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and 
not your gannents. and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is 
gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and 



168 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 



repentetli liim of the evil.' '' Witlit these words did Evangelist 
address the multitude as they gazed into the ravine below, where 
lay those whom the very sins they tolerated and encouraged had 
slain. 

Hypocrite stood amid the crowd, and as he looked up into the 
face of Evangelist, he saw that the keen gaze of the patriarch's 
eyes was upon him ; and he remembered the message of this man 
to him days before. Trembling with fear, he turned his face 
back toward the city ; and the Angel whispered in his soul again : 
' ' Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting ! " 

The Angel, hitherto unseen, now came forth, and, standing by 
the side of Evangelist, awed the gazing company, for they 
looked upon her as an apparition. 

''Fear not," said she, and, with outstretched hands, she 
pointed them to the Cross on the Lonely Hill. 

''Look! Look!" she continued, "salvation for this city and for 
each soul lies in the sacrifice for sin which was there made of 
God in the crucifixion of His only Son. ' ' 

THE PIT OF DEATH IS CLOSED 

The day following the exposure of the dangerous chasm bor- 
dering on the Primrose Path, a violent earthquake shook the 
city to its very foundations ; and the great ravine into which the 
youth of the City of Worldliness had found their death, through 
the dalliance of the Primrose Way, was closed as by the direct 
intervention of Providence. 

That evening, still in my vision, I saw two men, under shelter 




169 



See p. 17 J:. 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMEOSE 



171 



of the darkness, walk toward the place where the chasm had been 
closed by the earthquake. When they reached the spot, the moon 
broke through the huddled clouds and its beams fell upon the 
faces of the twain, and I saw they were those of Mayor Hypocrite 
and Mr. Man-of-the-AYorld. 

HYPOCRITE AND MAN-QF-THE-WGRLD WALK ABROAD 

''It has been levelled as though the work of man did it," said 
the Mayor. 

"It is certainly a clean job. There is not even a trace left of the 
chasm," added Man-of-the-AVorld. 

"This is where I stood yesterday when Evangelist addressed 
the crowd by the pit's mouth. It was a hideous sight with the 
Primroses gone," spoke Hypocrite. 

' ' The Angel was also here, was she not ? ' ' interrogated Man-of- 
the-World. 

"Yes, she stood with the prophet. It was her hand that 
singled me out. That is a strange couple." 
"They certainly are," replied Man-of-theAYorld. 

THE WRITING ON THE CLOUDS 

As the two turned toward their homes, suddenly a bank of 
clouds overhead was brilliantly illuminated. As they stopped to 
gaze upon it, a hand appeared, and in the hand was a stylus with 
which it wrote, in dark letters upon the clouds, the words: Mene, 
Mene, Tekel, Upharsin. 



172 



THE PATH OF THE PRIMROSE 



Then by their side the Angel appeared, and pointing to the 
words upon the clouds, she said: 

"This is the interpretation: 'Mene; God hath numbered thy 
kingdom, and finished it. Tekel; Thou art weighed in the bal- 
ances, and art found wanting,' " and ere they could speak she 
vanished. 

"This is a strange phenomenon," said Man-of-the-World. 

"I have heard these words before, and I like not their soimd,'- 
replied Hypocrite. He also recalled his dream, and the hand of 
the indignant mother pointing at him. 

Then the two passed on in silence; for both were perplexed in 
lieart as to the meaning of what they had seen. 

The day following. Hypocrite, as mayor of the city, received 
a letter from Minister Good in which he strongly appealed for a 
more righteous government. In stirring words he pointed to the 
mighty workings of the hand of God in the closing of the chasm, 
and then he added : 

"I beg of thee, in the name of God, by the power which is 
entrusted to thee, to destroy the works of the Devil. I pray thee 
be not wanting in courage in the hour when the strike for purity 
and righteousness may be given by the power resident in thee. 
That gold is dearly earned which is gathered at the sacrifice of 
conscience and enduring princiiDle." So ran the words of the 
letter which the Mayor read over several times. 

MAYOR HYPOCRITE IS TROUBLED 

' ' Be not wanting ! ' ' These words sank into his troubled mind ; 
for he had seen them upon the cloud. 



THE PATH OF THE PEIMEOSE 



173 



'^It is not an easy matter to gwem a city," lie was saying to 
himself, when the door of his office opened and in walked Man-of- 
the-AYorld. 

"Eead that," said Hypocrite, as he handed him the letter of the 
minister. 

Man-of-the-AVorld read the communication carefully and then 
returned it. ''Men in our positions," he said in reply, "get hun- 
dreds of this kind of letters. There should be a big pigeonhole 
for such communications. File it away. It 's never wise to say 
much about such letters. ' ' 



CHAPTER VIII 



Judas in Twentieth-Century Clothes 

"Avarice breaks all the commandments. Often has it put the 
weapon in the hand of the murderer ; in most countries of the world 
it has in every age made the ordinar\^ business of the market-places 
a warfare of falsehood. Why does the sale of the bodies of men and 
the hearts of women flourish from age to age, and practices utterly 
indefensible continue with the overwhelming sanction of society? It 
it because there is money in them. Avarice is possessed of demoniac 
strength ; but it may help us to keep it out of our hearts to remember 
that it was the sin of Judas." 

Stalker. 




IFTY tlioiisand dollars for one vote in the Legislature! 
What do you think of that!'' exclaimed Minister 



^'It is enough to supply the needs of ten missionaries for five 
years/' said his wife. ''What is it all about?" she added. 

Minister Good laid aside the paper he was reading and ex- 
plained how Mr. Man-of-the-World had secretly offered this 
amount for the vote of a senator in behalf of a bill which he had 
presented. 

''Did he accept the bribe!" she asked. 
174 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 175 



**Yes, it was a ease of every man having his price, and the 
temptation Avas too great, I presume.'* 

^'It is too bad that such corruption obtains among those that 
are chosen to represent our interests at the Capitoh What is the 
world coming toT' 

FEAR THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL 

^'It is hard to tell," he replied. '^The Devil seems to have his 
own way in legislative halls. It is no longer what will conserve 
the highest interests of the people, but what will best till the hop- 
pers of the syndicates and trusts. These corporations have the 
money, and send out their keenest agents to search for itching 
palms. In the home, in the church, and in the state, there are 
those who are ever ready, for the sake of gold, to incarnate the 
Judas spirit and betray their trust." 

^'What is the price of manhood and integrity anyway, now- 
adays?" asked the wife. 

Among those who make their living as politicians, in many 
instances the largest bribe otfered is the price," he answered. 

' ' Satan may no longer go about as a roaring lion seeking whom 
he may devour, but he is here all the same, and clothed in modem 
dress; it is very difficult for the inexperienced eye to detect his 
presence," she rejoined. 

''Luther saw him with horns, and tail, and cloven feet, when 
he flung the inkstand at him," said the minister. 

''Yes, but Satan has learned to disguise himself cleverly in 
these times. He conceals his deceit and subterfuge under the 



176 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 



guise of a friend. That is the way in which he operates in the 
world to-day/' he continued, ^'and the eye of the experienced 
cannot always discover his approach. ' ' 

Several times in my vision I had been taken to the home of this 
God-fearing couple, and upon each occasion had brought away 
with me something more of a desire to do the Master's will than 
I had ever known before. Their conversation taught me much, 
and as I meditated upon what I had heard this day, the room 
grew dim and the figures of the minister and his wife vanished 
into thin shadows. 

Soon I felt myself borne gently along until I was set down 
where a cool wind blew upon my face. My eyes had seemed to be 
closed, but now I opened them and saw before me a castle-like 
structure which I knew could be no other than the abode of Satan. 

Forbidding of aspect and hoary with age, this home of the 
Adversary crowned the summit of a rugged cliff. Dense shadows 
reached nearly to its highest tower and enveloped it in gloom. 
Its only means of access was a devious foot-path, dark and dan- 
gerous, and unfrequented, save for those who sought instruc- 
tions within its walls. Upon the front of the building I could dis- 
cern the words: — 

SCHOOL OF MODERN METHODS 

As I marvelled at the scene, I saw Mr. Hypocrite and several 
of his friends — all citizens of the City of Worldliness, approach 
and gain admittance to the castle. As they entered, something of 
the significance of the words above the frowning portal dawned 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 177 



upon me; and, turning to see if others followed them, I beheld 
the Guardian Angel by my side. 

^'How long has this school been in existenceT' I inquired. 

''From the year of Satan's expulsion from Heaven," replied 
the Angel. 

"Doth the Lord know of it and its design?" I asked in my sur- 
prise. 

''Yes, He knows." 

"Why then doth He not shake it down by some gigantic earth- 
quake?" I asked. 

' ' The Lord does not so deal with this enemy. He shall hammer 
it down with the weapons of truth, and the day is coming when 
not one stone of this strong castle shall be left upon another," the 
Angel replied. 

TALL MEN WHO LIVE ABOVE THE FOG 

"Might not the soldiers of Jesus reduce this fortress of iniqui- 
ty ?" I inquired in my eagerness. 

"If the Lord of all the earth shall give them the power to do 
so, ' ' the Angel answered. 

"Hath it ever been attempted?" I ventured to ask. 

"Yes, many impetuous and presumptuous followers of His, 
have, during the ages, sought to batter down the place; and once 
a company of devoted ones besought of the Lord that He would 
rain lightning upon the place and consume it, ' ' she said. 

"And did He grant the request?" 

"Nay," she answered. 



178 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 



'^But wliy was the petition denied?" 

"For reasons known alone to His eternal wisdom, He rebuked 
those who asked it of Him, saying, 'Ye know not what manner of 
spirits ye are of, for the Son of Man is not come to destroy men's 
lives, but to save them.' " 

With these words the Angel took my hand as though to lead me 
toward the castle, but for fear of what might befall, I shrank 
back until she bid me "follow and fear not." 

' ' Whither art thou bound ? " I asked. 

' ' To enter the castle, ' ' she replied, ' ' that I may show thee the 
seductions of the Evil One, and explain to thee the arts by which 
he instructs his pupils." 

"Is it safe?" I inquired. 

"It is safe for thee in my company," the Angel made answer, 
and so we went forward and entered the building. 

THE DARKENED WINDOWS 

"Why are the windows on the East closed and darkened?" I 
asked the Angel, for the thing seemed strange to me. The way 
to the tower was also closed, and none were permitted to ascend. 

"I will tell thee the reason," replied the Angel. "Years ago 
the Church of Christ began the work of clearing away the timber 
lands and leveling the mountain on this side, so that the Hill of 
the Cross might be visible from these heights, and immediately 
the windows that faced the East were darkened. None who re- 
side here can endure the vision of the Cross." 



The 3for7rrn Devil. Copi/rif/ht, 1903, by W. W. Houston. 

Fifty thousand dollars for one vote ! ' exclaimed Minister Good." 



ISO 



See p. 17 U- 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 181 



Why did the Church desist from the work, if it had such an in- 
fluence upon Satan?" I asked. 

SATAN IS LEFT ALONE 

*^For the reason that the Lord did not care to convert the 
Devil, but to save men; and so he caused the warfare upon Satan 
to cease, and turned the efforts of his followers upon saving a 
lost world," the Angel replied. 

^^Then the Lord does not fear Satan?" I asked. 

*^Not at all. His work has been outlined in the eternal ages, 
and what is to be, will be manifest in the years to come. There 
is no power in earth or hell which can hinder the purpose of His 
will, ' ' was the reply. 

^'Is not Satan a real foe to mankind, and do not his works call 
for the most sagacious wisdom upon the part of man!" I asked. 

''Most surely," replied the Angel, "but Satan was doomed 
from the beginning." 

THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD 

''How should we be equipped to meet him upon the battlefield 
of life ! " I inquired. 

' ' ' By taking unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be 
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, ' * ' 
was the reply. 

"What is the armor?" 

"Even the same which Jesus brought for the equipment of His 
followers, and left with them, upon His ascension to Bethany," 
the Angel replied. 



182 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 



And of what does this equipment consist?" I persisted. 
' ' Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the word of 
God; and prayer and diligent watching as well," replied my 
guide. 

IN Satan's school rooms 

We had now come to the part of the huilding which contained 
the School of Modem Methods. 

Unseen, we entered the class-rooms where teachers provided 
by His Satanic Majesty were busy instructing their pupils. 

'^Seest thou how carefully the work is done!" inquired the 
Angel. 

''Yes," said I, ''and each pupil seems anxious to catch every 
word of the instructor." 

There were classes in deceit, in gambling, lying, thieving, mur- 
der, money-getting by up-to-date methods, and other diabolical 
arts; and I learned that each student was expected not only to 
benefit himself, but to disseminate what he learned in so subtle 
a manner as to seduce those of the world among whom he 
mingled. 

There was one class much larger than any of the others, at 
which I wondered. The teacher was engaged in his work as we 
entered the room, and we heard his words. 

"You are to be shrewd and plausible. Hold back for no con- 
sideration, except that of losing the prize for which you aim. 
The end always justifies the means. Tell the lie boldly, and in all 
misrepresentations look men in the face with calm eyes, lest 



JUDAS IX TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 183 



they detect your motives. Do as the world does, and never waste 
any time in debating whether a thing is right or wrong. You are 
in it to win, and win you will, if you modernize your methods of 
approaching men.'' 

"What class is this I asked. 

"This is Satan's class of modern business methods, and the 
students here are from various representative professions. They 
are eager 'to get rich quick,' by the latest methods of the Devil," 
was the reply. 

"Do not regard any one as a brother," the instmctor con- 
tinued. ' ' Disguise your motives and strike home. What though 
you do cause another to lose ; his loss will be your gain, and if a 
lie can win you the best of the bargain, use it and you will be 
considered the most up-to-date man on the street, and no one will 
be the wiser as to the secret of your success. Don't be conscien- 
tious in your dealings, for thereby many have remained poor, and 
crept along at the slow pace of self-denial all their lives. Live 
for this world." 

These words were eagerly taken down in note-books with which 
each pupil was provided, and as we left the room, the students 
were in the act of applauding one of the striking sentences of this 
diabolic address. 

JUDAS AFFECTS MODERN DRESS 

"Do men of this world follow such teachings'?" I inquired as 
we left the castle grounds. 

"Yes, thousands of them, many of whom are in the higher 
walks of life. Men and women disregard absolutely the law of 



184 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 



Christ, by reason of its imposed conditions, and choose the meth- 
ods of Satan because of the material gains they offer. ' ' 

^^Then they disguise false and low motives under the beauti- 
ful name of Christian I said. 

' ' So they do, ' ' said the Angel. ' ' There are some, who, like Ju- 
das, carry the bag, and by reason of avarice, associate with the 
friends of Satan, while walking in name with the followers of the 
Nazarene. ' ^ 

''Do you mean to say," I inquired, ''that Judas still lives and 
mingles with men, dressed in twentieth-century clothes 

"That is one way of stating the lamentable fact," she con- 
tinued. 

"And shall such continue to live on under the guise of this 
falseness, and daily deceive those with whom they move?" I 
asked. 

"I fear it shall be so until the children of God look upon all 
the dealing^^ of life in the Christ spirit, ' ' said the Angel. 

EVANGELIST DISCOURSES ON THE KINGDOM 

"If men were only honest and single in their lives," said Evan- 
gelist, who now joined us. ' ' If those of this age lived in the open, 
with cleanness and honorable motives, what a different world 
this would be!" 

"Ah yes," said I, "but this cannot be until the Kingdom 
comes. ' ' 

"The Kingdom is here," he answered. 
"Where?" I asked. 



The Moderr} Devil. Coj^ijrigJt/ , liio:,, hji \V. IT. llouftton. 

"The home of the Adversary crowned the summit 
of a ragged cliff.'' 

185 See ji. 176. 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 187 



^*In the hearts of the good and the true," was the reply. 

SATAN EMPLOYS SHREWD TEACHERS 

I then related to Evangelist what I had seen at the School of 
Modem Methods, and told him also of the activity with which it 
was conducted, and the number of those who were there as pupils. 

^^Yes," he replied, "that school has been in existence a long 
while, and much time and money have been spent upon it. 
Shrewd teachers are employed at lucrative salaries; for Satan 
stints not at means that shall gain his ends. ' ' 

' ' Then it is not a secret ! " I asked. 

''Nay, 'tis no longer a secret, and the principle upon which 
he works is well known to all true souls in these regions," re- 
plied Evangelist. 

''Yet a great number fall into his net," I added. 

"It is true," he replied, "but in each instance, there exists in 
the heart of such a predisposing motive. The conscience is a 
tower of light for the guidance of all men, and it is only when 
men extinguish or hide this light, that they can choose evil with- 
out compunction." 

IN THE BUSTLE OF MAN's WORK TIME 

Then opening a small volume the patriarch said: "Listen to- 
these words, for they sum up the real things to be sought after in 
life, and they are what we must keep on teaching to men. ' ' then 
he read: 

II — The Modern Devil. 



188 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 



^'To live content with small means; to seek elegance ratlier than 
luxury, and refinement rather than fashion ; to be worthy, respec- 
table and wealthy, not rich; to listen to the stars and birds, babes 
and sages with open hearts; to study hard; to think quietly, act 
frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry -never; in a word, to 
let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious grow up through the 
common, — this is my symphony. ' ' 

' ' Such living would eliminate the false from thought and feel- 
ing and action, and not only sweeten life; but attract to it the 
blessings of the mind of the great teacher, ' ' said I. 

''This is our ideal, and though the world be full of sin, the 
heart must breathe in daily that breath of optimism which rushes 
down from the Holy Hill of Calvary," said Evangelist. "The 
Christ is as old as God Himself; as far-reaching as His good- 
ness ; more pleasant than air or sunshine. ' ' 

THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOR 

''But tell me," I continued. "Why is it that men differ so in 
religious beliefs? Moses and Jesus, Isaiah and Paul, Jeremiah 
and Peter, the Jew and the Chrstian, are to dwell together at last; 
why not promote a great religious 'Trust' and so hasten the day 
when men shall say as did Joshua of old, ' as for me and my house, 
we will ser\' e the Lord. ' ' ' 

"It is to be regretted," replied the prophet, "that men will not 
often work together in religious matters unless they agree in 
doctrinal beliefs. They scatter their fire and waste their money 



JUDAS IX TAYEXTIETH-CEXTUEY CLOTHES 189 



in denominational rivalries, and so, it seems that the children of 
the Avorld are Tviser than the children of light, for when they wish 
very much to do a thing, they do it. " 

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? 

''The world at large," continued Evangelist, "has not yet 
learned to love its neighbor as itself, and they are comparatively 
few who seem to understand the meaning of this divine law. It is 
time that men should live it, and teach it as well, in a way which 
shall make people more pitifnl of need and sorrow, and more 
kindly and helpfnl. 

"It is not enough that we say we love onr neighbor, we mnst 
really understand that in its truest sense, this means that we are 
our brothers' keepers," the patriarch went on. "It is time that 
we gave reverent appreciation and enthusiastic obedience to this 
plain commandment. It is not enough that we obey only when 
our emotions are stirred and it is a pleasure to do so. It is an every 
day service we must pay. 

MONEY WILL NOT ALWAYS BUY SUCCESS 

As Evangelist spoke these words, he and the Angel vanished 
from my sight, and I was taken, still in my vision, where I could 
hear the familiar voices of Mr. Hypocrite and his friend and ally, 
Man-of-the-World. 

"The vote of that Senator came high," said Hypocrite to his 
associate, "but I tmst it will be worth the price." 



190 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 



''Came higli!" replied Man-of-tlie-World. "I should say it did. 
The money was wasted, ' ' he added, with an oath. 

" Wasted?" cried Hypocrite in an excited voice. 

"Yes, wasted," rejoined Man-of-the-World. "That scoundrel 
sold us out. He took our money and then voted against the bill ; 
and what is more, we have no redress, for it would not be wise to 
quarrel with him, even if we dared to do so." 

' ' That 's too bad, ' ' said Hypocrite, as he nervously paced back 
and forth. ' ' What can we do! " he inquired. 

"Do? Charge it to profit and loss. There is nothing else to 
do, ' ' was the reply. 

THEIR FEET SHALL SLIDE IN DUE TIME 

" 'A house divided against itself cannot stand,' "commented 
Minister Good. "The papers of the city have exposed the du- 
plicity of the Mayor and Man-of-the-World." 

' ' Then those who boldly do crooked work are not companions in 
honor, it seems, ' ' replied his wife. 

"The Lord's hand is in it," continued the Minister. "Judas 
is yet incarnate in men, and even those who wear his clothes, are 
often deceived in each other." 

' ' The wicked shall not prosper, ' ' rejoined his wife. 

THE DOWNFALL OF ARTFUL 

As they thus conversed. Evangelist entered their dwelling and 
told them of one Artful, a friend of Hypocrite, and formerly a 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTURY CLOTHES 101 



member of their church. He stood high in the community and 
many private interests had been committed to him with perfect 
confidence. 

^^What! is he deadf earnestly inquired the minister. 

^^Nay, not dead, but proven false, — a betrayer of trusts. He 
has fled, and behind him are left, not only well-to-do investors, 
but laborers and widows, who entrusted to him their scanty sav- 
ings for investment, ' ' replied the old man. 

'^He seemed worthy of confidence," said Minister Good, '^and 
for a while took an active part in the affairs of Zion, but he left 
when Mr. Hypocrite was asked to resign. ' ^ 

^' Yes, he was a friend of Hypocrite, who has also suffered loss 
by this man's wrong doing,'' said Evangelist. 

DISCRETION, LIKE A VAPOR, SINKS 

''Artful has been an earnest student in Satan's School of Mod- 
em Methods," continued Evangelist, ^'and by reason of that 
which he learned there, it seems he has succeeded in causing 
great sorrow and loss, especially to the trustful poor, but his 
sins have gone on to judgment, for the accounts are not yet 
closed." 

''His avarice proved his ruin," said the minister. 

"Yes," said Evangelist. "The gold he coveted was in the 
bag, and for the sake of possessing it, he betrayed his friends. ' ' 

"For twenty pieces of silver, Judas of old delivered his Master 
into the hands of the enemy; for twenty pieces of silver he per- 
jured his soul," said Minister Good. 



192 JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 



While tlie minister was speaking, it was given me to see Art- 
ful, disgraced and covered with the mire of sin, sitting, a sor- 
rowful vagahond, over against the Castle of Satan; with no balm 
for a conscience awakened to the enormity of its guilt. 

THY SIN SHALL FIND THEE OUT 

* ^ This, I learned there, ' ' he said to himself, as he pointed to the 
grim castle, ''and this is the harvest from the seed which they 
planted in my soul. ' ^ 

He turned suddenly as though pursued by an avenger, when 
from the castle a shout of laughter fell upon his ears. 

''Laughter but precedes sorrow to such as study in those 
halls, ' ' he said as he sought to hide from an imaginary pursuer 
under the dense hedge. Then he looked upon the gold he had 
borne with him and began to loathe it. "It is a burden upon my 
soul,'' he cried aloud. 

Instinctively his better nature reached forth for sympathy and 
help, but in the darkness of his retreat, there was none to hear 
or pity, and as night came on he saw naught but the eye of an 
offended Saviour, looking into the depths of his very soul. 

"Let me die," said he. "What remains for such as I, but a 
life of prolonged sorrow and retribution." 

MORE HEAVILY THE SHADOWS FALL 

The wind, as it whistled through the trees, semed to mock at 
his fears, and the light from the castle windows caused his spirit 
to shudder. 



JUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 193 



*'Let me die! Let me die!" lie cried. ^'I will end it all!'' lie 
cried suddenly, as in great desperation of spirit lie arose, and fling- 
ing the ill-gotten treasure aside, started forth with the intention 
of casting himself headlong into the ravine. 

For a moment he halted, and, gathering the gold again, buried 
it beneath some stones, and then hastened wildly on to carry out 
his determination of self-destruction. 

**Stay thy rash deed!" 

These were the words that rang in his ears as he struggled to 
behold from whence the voice came. A cold sweat stood upon his 
brow and a shiver of fear ran through his body. 

'*Stay thy rash deed! Add not sin to sin!" and though for 
the time he knew it not, the Good Angel was standing at his side; 
and placing her hand upon his, she added: 

^^Be <^alm! Thou must not do thyself harm; for though thou 
hast sinned, thou canst make restitution, and making thyself 
right with man, thou canst find forgiveness with Grod. ' ' 

**The door is closed; the door is closed;" he muttered, as sobs 
of anguish and remorse shook his frame. 

' * Look yonder ! ' ' she said. ^ ' The Christ who died there ; died to 
expiate all sin, if truly repented of. ' ' 

His eyes were too heavy to look, and all that he could utter was, 
^Hhe door is closed!" 

^^The door was opened once for all by those pierced hands," 
said the Angel, ^^and even the Archfiend himself who inhabits 
yonder castle has not the power to close it. Suffer not such hid- 
eous doubt to blind thine eyes." 

^'Ah, had I remained true to my childhood's faith, and main- 



194 eJUDAS IN TWENTIETH-CENTUEY CLOTHES 



tained with integrity the vows of my religious life!'' cried Art- 
ful, ^ ' but I lived a life of falseness ! It is too late. ' ' 

"Late, late, so late, and dark the night and chill! 
Late, late, so late; but we can enter still." 

Thus spoke the Angel in tender assurance, and bade him look 
in contrition toward the Cross on the Hill beyond. 

While she entreated, God, the soul's Father, gave to the spirit 
of this erring one the birth-moment of a peace which held the 
hopes of that real life which had been bartered for the treasures 
of earth. 

And as I gazed in silence, upon the sorrowful sight, the An- 
gel said to me : ^ ' Tell it unto the world, that even they upon whom 
is the stain of Judas may yet touch the compassion of the Christ, 
if, forsaking sin, they will repent and believe." 



CHAPTER IX 



In With the Priests 

"Strange! to think how the Moth-kings lay up treasures for the 
moth ; and the Rust-kings, who are to their people's strength as rust to 
armour, lay up treasures for the rust; and the Robber-kings, treas- 
ures for the robber; but how few kings have ever laid up treasures that 
needed no guarding ." 

— Ruskin, "Sesame and Lilies." 

PARTING from the Angel, after her command to tell the 
the story of Artful to the world, I sought a retreat which 
I had discovered on the day she had taken me to Satan's 
School of Modem Methods. 

It was a spot where one might, with little chance of being ob- 
served, see whatever passed along the path that led to the Arch- 
fiend's Castle of All Evil, and now, from its seclusion, I saw Sa- 
tan leave his stronghold and hasten down the narrow way. His 
rage at the escape of Artful was frightful to behold, and as he 
drew nearer, I heard him say to himself: 

' ' That Guardian Angel and the priests of God will be the ruin- 
ation of my business. Here 's another failure to record, and 
close by the castle too," and with an oath he stamped his cloven 
foot upon the ground. 

195 



196 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



^'I have had that fellow, Artful/' he went on, '^had it not 
been for the Angel. The temptation of that ravine would have 
been too much for him to overcome and I would have had his 
soul. Curse her for her interference ! ' ' 

He walked to the edge of the precipice and looked over the 
steep ledge of rocks. 

''More than one mortal I have caught here/' said he with a 
chuckle of satisfaction, which for the moment replaced his frown. 

SATAN IS IN AN UGLY MOOD 

A band of fiends came rushing up the path, and as they beheld 
Satan they halted and waited for him to speak. 

"Wliere were you when Artful was in the grounds he de- 
manded of them. 

"Guarding the castle," they replied. 

"A nice lot of guards you are!" said their master in derision. 
"Why did you not help Artful to accomplish his purpose of 
self-destruction?" 

' ' The Angel persuaded him from it before we could reach him, ' ' 
ventured one of the band in reply. 

"If we could have gotten hold of him first, the capture of his 
soul would have been an easy matter," added another. 

"You must have been frightened by the Angel," Satan de- 
clared. ' ' Why were you afraid of her V 

"There was a strange light around her," one confessed, "and 
before we could recover from our fright, she had saved him from 
the deed." 



IN WITH THE PKIESTS 197 

^^I thought so," said Satan, with increasing rage; ''you are a 
lot of silly cowards." 

EVANGELIST GIVES SATAN A SCARE 

At that moment the sound of a voice was heard from the other 
side of the ravine, where a form like unto that of a person could be 
dimly traced. 

''Hark! He speaks!" cried several of the fiends. 

' ' Spirits have not flesh and blood such as he, ' ' answered Satan. 
"Listen! It would address us," he added. 

" 'I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Behold, I 
give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over 
all the power of the enemy : and nothing shall by any means hurt 
you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are sub- 
ject unto you; but rather rejoice because your names are written 
in heaven. ' ' ' 

"He speaks of thee?" said one of the demons in an awe-struck 
voice. 

At this moment a huge rock was loosened by some means from 
the hillside and fell with a crash into the ravine ; while owls and 
bats, frightened from their retreats, flew excitedly about the 
heads of Satan and his company. 

"Curse these interferences," said Satan, once more in a rage. 
' ' That Angel is planning some scheme again. ' ' 

The person whom they saw was Evangelist, who, with Deter- 
mination and other priests of God, met in an unfrequented spot 



198 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



for prayer and praise. To tliis company Evangelist liad ad- 
dressed the words which Satan and his company had heard. 

THE PRIESTS OF GOD ARE THANKFUL 

* ' As the anointed of Christ, ye have all seen the witness of His 
great power/' said Evangelist. Then with face and hands up- 
lifted toward Heaven he said : 

' ' This is the great promise of Jesus to yon who are in the midst 
of the conflict with Satan and sin. ' He that believeth on me, the 
works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these 
shall he do, because I go unto my Father. And whatever ye shall 
ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified 
in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.' " 

THE COMMUNION UNDER THE CEDAR 

Then Evangelist gathered the priests of God around a rudely 
built altar under a spreading cedar, and, after offering a prayer 
passed to each bread and wine, the emblems of the Passover 
which Jesus, whose Cross was in view on the opposite hill, had 
bidden such as love Him keep, until He should again appear. 

As Satan and his company listened, they heard the echo of their 
parting hymn and then all was still. 

''This sort of performance puts a chill upon everj^thing, " said 
Satan, as he saw Evangelist and his band descend the mountain 
and pass along the King's Highway toward the city. 



IN WITH THE PEIESTS 



199 



'^Back to your posts," he commanded his still frightened 
attendants. ''By great vigilance yon may regain my favor." 
To himself he said: 

"They have planned some new cami3aign and are going forth 
to put it in operation. I '11 seek the home of Hypocrite and find 
out what is going on." 

As Satan announced this detennination, I heard the Angel 
whisper to me, ' ' Come ;" and then, before I could signify my will- 
ingness to accompany her, we were in the home of the Mayor of 
the City of Worldliness. 

SATAN MAKES A FRIENDLY CALL 

Hypocrite was seated in his librar}' when a knock upon the 
door startled him. 

"AVell! AVell! AVhat 's gone wrong now ?" was his salutation to 
Satan. ' ' More trouble I '11 venture, else you 'd not be here. ' ' 

"Trouble enough to turn my hair grey," replied Satan, as he 
drew up a chair beside Hypocrite, and began to engage him in 
conversation. 

''How are matters progressing down at your church?" he 
asked. 

" AYhat do I know about the church ? I 've withdrawn from ac- 
tive service, ' ' answered Hypocrite. 

"You still have some friends on the board of trustees, have n't 
you!" asked Satan, with a grin. 

' ' Oh yes, a few, ' ' replied Hypocrite. 



< 



200 



IN WITH THE PEIESTS 



''How are yon and the minister getting along, nowadays?" 
lie continued. "Are yon on speaking terms'' 
' ' Certainly we are. ' ' 

SATAN IS SOLICITOUS ABOUT MANY THINGS 

"And how is the young woman, Miss T' asked Satan. 

"Miss Sincere, you mean?" 

"Yes, Miss Sincere, the one to whom you were so attentive at 
the banquet," said His Majesty. 

"You have a good memory. That was quite a while ago." 

"Yes," replied Satan, "she was one whom I had marked for 
my own, but that meddling Angel was too much for me there. ' ' 

"She is still busy with her mission and her work among the 
poor. She is a great help to Minister Good, ' ^ said Hypocrite. 

"Have you seen the Angel in these parts lately?" asked Satan. 

"I am told that she resides at the home of Miss Sincere," re- 
plied Hypocrite. 

"Between ourselves," said Satan confidentially, "that Angel 
and Minister Good are my worst foes." 

"Foes! They are not your foes. You each work for a princi- 
ple, and if they outwit you, you are to blame, not they. It is a 
game of 'best fellow,' " answered Hypocrite. 

"Yes, but they bend every effort to defeat my plans." 

"Well," added Hypocrite, "that is about the size of your own 
game, as I understand it. ' ' 

"Say, Hypocrite," said Satan, as he slapped him familiarly 
upon your shoulder, "you 're not going back on an old friend, are 
you? You must not lo^3 your nerve at this stage of the game. I 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



201 



am sorry that you lost in that last deal ; but the preachers were 
against you. You '11 have better luck next time. ' ' 

'^That 's what you always say/' answered Hypocrite. 
^^But," persisted Satan, ''are you still with me in this gamel" 
''You know well enough where I stand without asking, "replied 
Hypocrite. 

"There is no need for you to be offended," Satan hastily re- 
joined. 

"Well, I 'm looking on just now," said Hypocrite. 
"You 're dreaming, old fellow," said Satan, "That 's what ails 
you. Wake up! Things will turn your way." 

HYPOCRITE DEFINES HIS POSITION 

"No, I 'm not dreaming, but I 've had a dream that has come 
strikingly true in many particulars, and I 'm going to slow up a 
bit," replied Hypocrite. 

"That day I saw that old rascal, Evangelist, in your office, I 
knew you 'd have trouble of some sort. Better keep clear of 
him," said Satan. 

"He has given you quite a chase several times, has n't he?" in- 
quired Hypocrite in a sardonic tone. 

"He 's all bluff," replied Satan. 

"He 's stronger and wiser than you and the whole pack of 
your fiends, when he 's aroused, " said Hypocrite, as he watched 
the chagrin on the Archfiend's face. 

"I '11 get him and that Angel in my net yet, ' ' said Satan with 
a positive air. 



202 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



You '11 have to be a little quicker than you were with Artful, " 
rejoined Hypocrite. 

' ' I may have to change my tactics, ' ' Satan admitted, and soon 
afterward took his leave. As he did so, I ventured to follow him. 

A PAIR OF CONSPIRATORS 

Shortly after leaving the home of Hypocrite, Satan fell in with 
Man-oi-the-World, and they strolled together for quite a dis- 
tance. 

'^I hope business is booming with you," said Man-of-the- 
World. 

''Well," replied Satan, ''I have had some reverses lately, but 
matters are now looking up." 

' ' I hope SO; ' ' replied Man-of-the-World. 

"Do you know the priests of the city quite well?" inquired 
Satan. 

' ' I have had dealings with many of them, ' ' was the reply. 
''Then perhaps you can aid me in a little project I have on 
hand." 

"I shall be glad to aid you in any way I can," said Man-of-the- 
World. 

"Good! that is kind of you," was the pleased reply. 

Thus assured, Satan explained to Man-of-the-World his 
1^ scheme. He feared the efforts of the ministers whom he had seen 

in communion with God, for Evangelist, their leader, was a con- 
stant menace to his plans. 

"The priests must in some way be won over," he began. "You 





5"<t y:-, hviu 



CGvyrig'ht, 1j03, h\: W. W. Houston, 

The procession arrived at the 'Pavilion of Pleasure/'' 



204 



See p. ms. 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



205 



cannot stop the people from hearing them. ]\[y plan is to poison 
their sermons, especially those to the children," said Satan. 

SATAN ATTENDS CHURCH MEETINGS 

^'If you can get in with the priests, you can control the situ- 
ation, ' ' replied Man-of-the-World. 

''They have been rather rough in their denunciation of both 
of us of late," continued Satan. 

^ ' How do you know ? You don 't attend their churches I ' ' asked 
Man-of-the-World, jokingly. 

"I most certainly do," was the reply, ''I have not missed a ser- 
vice, rain or shine, since the Church was inaugurated." 

''You 've done better in this matter of attendance than many 
Christians, ' ' responded Man-of-the-AYorld. 

"I always drop in to see what is going on. It 's the only way to 
keep posted," said Satan. 

THE SCHEME TO CAPTURE THE PRIESTS 

"I don't know what your plan would be," said Man-of-the- 
World, "but mine would be to show these preachers a specially 
good time. Obligate them to you, no matter what it costs. What 
is money compared with their good will ? See that they are in- 
debted to you, and the more you have them in your debt, the 
greater the success will be. That 's the plan I adopt in my politi- 
cal life." 

"You 're a philosopher; your suggestion is a capital one," an- 

12 — The Modern Devil. 



206 



IN WITH THE PKIESTS 



swered Satan, with an air of flattery, ''but how shall we set to 
work to capture the priests 1 ' ' 

' ' Mr. Hypocrite is the one to aid you in this project, for he is 
up in church matters, ' ' resumed Man-of-the- World. 

''I had just left him when I met you," replied Satan, ''but he 
was not in a mood to be interviewed; said he did n't know just 
where he stood." 

hypocrite's help must be secured 

' ' Never let go of him, ' ' replied Man-of-the-World. ' ' He holds 
the key to the situation. He knows every priest in the city and 
surrounding countrj^ He is just the man through whom to make 
your proposition to the preachers." 

' ' I don 't know about that, ' ' answered Satan. ' ' That old rascal. 
Evangelist, who is roaming about these parts, has been telling 
him things which have affrighted him. Then, too, he has had a 
troublesome dream. ' ' 

"I '11 fix him all right," said Man-of-the-World. "We have 
had dealings together for years, and I know his idiosyncrasies. 
I must leave you now to keep an engagement, ' ' he added. 

"But what is your plan to get hold of the preachers?" urged 
Satan. 

' ' Oh, well, take them out to the park. Give them a banquet and 
a day of pleasure. Offer to pay off their church debts. That will 
touch the spot. After you have helped them, you have muffled 
their voices. ' ' 

"Capital! Capital. That 's a new idea," said Satan exultantly; 



IN WITH THE PKIESTS 



207 



and with this he hurried away to arrange the details of the plan, 
while Man-of-the-World went about his own affairs. 

THE SCHEME TAKES SHAPE 

^'Say, Mr. Hypocrite," said Man-of-the-AVorld, as they met 
down-town the next day, ' ' I 've a little outside matter — a stroke 
of policy, in which I want you to help me. ' ' 

^ ' What is it ? " Hypocrite inquired. 

Then Man-of-the- World told him of the plan to give the min- 
isters of the city an outing, and suggested the "Pavilion of 
Pleasure " as a fitting place. ' ' We can give them all a good time; 
and my plan is to arrange tO' have it given under the auspices of 
the League, and so make a big affair of it. We shall include their 
wives and children in the invitation, and so publish the matter 
widely. ' ' 

^ ' That 's quite an idea, ' ' replied Hypocrite. ' ' Well, ' ' he added 
thoughtfully, ''you will have to work the matter carefully, else 
it will be a fizzle. You' can't catch ministers nowadays with 
chaff. You will have to have some object for this unusual pro- 
cedure. ' ' 

"The business men's interest in the churches will cover it," 
replied Man-of-the-World. 

"Yes, but the League is composed of men whose church affilia- 
tions are rather weak, ' ' continued Hypocrite with a laugh. 

' ' We can invite other men of business, who are active in church 
work, and thus make it appear as a general movement," said 
Man-of-the-AA'' orld. ' ' They will never suspect, ' ' 



208 



IN WITH THE PKIESTS 



' ' That will be the better plan, ' ' said Hypocrite. 

The day was fixed upon, and the League, with other representa- 
tive men, extended an invitation to all the ministers of the city for 
a day of recreation. The plan seemed well conceived, for the 
majority accepted. Satan had adroitly suggested to the commit- 
tee on invitation that they include Evangelist, and so the patri- 
arch was invited. 

When the day arrived, everything was in readiness for the en- 
tertainment, for no expense had been spared. Mr. Man-of-the- 
World and some of his intimates had a plan which they proposed 
to carry out during the day, but it was a secret to all save them- 
selves. 

Automobiles had been provided to convey the ministers and 
their families to a central point in the city, and then this proces- 
sion on wheels, headed by the City Band, i^roceeded, with great 
chatter of merry voices, to the Pavilion of Pleasure, where every- 
thing for the pleasure and comfort of the guests had been pro- 
vided. Crowds of people were attracted to the spot and every- 
thing gave promise of a notable day. 

Innocent games and sports were followed by an elaborate ban- 
quet, and all the clergy were in a pleasant frame of mind when 
they surrounded the bountifully spread tables. 

Man-of-the-World presided at the banquet in his most affable 
manner, and Satan, assuming an invisible form, stood back of him 
with a grin of satisfaction upon his face, and from time to time 
stooped to whisper some suggestion in his ear. 

''Be sure to keep your eye on Evangelist, and do not let him 
spoil the occasion,'' was his special counsel. 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



209 



The programme for the occasion had been so arranged that a 
number of the most prominent ministers should address the gath- 
ering, speaking upon topics which had reference to their work, 
and Satan saw that a great round of applause was given to each 
speaker. When a sufficient number of addresses had prepared 
the mind of those present to receive it, Man-of-the-World made a 
secret sign to Hypocrite, who sat at the far end of the table, to 
arise as if for an impromptu speech. 

hypocrite's plausible address 

The eyes of all present were fastened upon the Mayor, as with 
well-chosen words, seasoned with a degree of flattery, he ex- 
tolled the clergy, and boasted of the power and influence of the 
Church, making personal reference to the various local churches 
there represented. 

His remarks were interrupted, again and again, by generous 
applause, instigated by Satan, and led by Man-of-the-World. 

Evangelist and Miss Sincere, who, as a prominent church 
worker, had also been invited, sat together, and at a point where 
the former could look direct into' the face of Hypocrite. The 
aged patriarch's eye now ran down the table, and noted the keen 
attention given to the speaker by the priests of God there as- 
sembled. Then he bowed his head and while none knew it, was in 
converse with the Good Angel, who stood by his side, unseen. 

THE ANGEL ADVISES EVANGELIST 

''Denounce this malicious sham when the right moment comes. 



210 



IN WITH THE PEIESTS 



This is not an occasion wliich shall glorify God," whispered the 
Angel ''Satan stands by the side of Man-of-the-AVorld, and 
Hypocrite is his partner in the scheme to make friends with the 
clergy." 

"I will," replied Evangelist. 

"In looking into the condition of the churches of the city," 
Hypocrite was saying, "we find there is an indebtedness of sev- 
eral hundred thousand dollars. This is a great incumbrance to 
the successful furtherance of the Lord's work. 

"As a compliment, and with sincere appreciation of what the 
clergy of the city have done for the benefit of society, I am au- 
thorized by the Business Men's League of this city to say that 
they shall esteem it an honor to pass to the credit of these churches 
an amount necessary to cancel all mortgages and other indebted- 
ness that rest upon them." 

As Hypocrite sat down, the applause was deafening for several 
minutes, the clergy, their wives, and nearly all present joining 
in T\ ith great gusto. 

"A capital speech, and the scheme is a success," whispered 
Satan in the ear of Man-of-the-World. 

"I think the game is ours," was the reply. 

EVANGELIST EXPOSES THE INIQUITOUS SCHEME 

Then it was that Evangelist arose and stood silent and digni- 
fied for a moment, yet the fires of indignation could be seen burn- 
ing in his eyes, and all faces were turned towards him. 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



211 



Curse liim/^ said Satan under his breath. ^'He 's going to 
undo all our work." 

''Utter the truth fearlessly, and the Lord shall bless thee," 
whispered the Angel, as Evangelist, with outstretched hand, be- 
gan to speak. 

" 'What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? 
and what communion hath light with darkness ? and what concord 
hath Christ with Belial I or what part hath he that believeth, with 
an infidel?" fell from the lips of the prophet. 

"Speak on, in boldness, the words of truth," encouraged the 
Angel. 

Man-of-the-World and his friends began to tremble, and Satan, 
in a rage, insisted that Evangelist be silenced. 

Then, extending his arms toward the ministers of Christ, as 
though he would protect them from evil. Evangelist continued : 

' ' My brothers in the blessed ministry of Jesus, open thine eyes 
to see a serpent's shrewdness in this offer. What agreement 
hath God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; for 
God hath said, 'I dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will 
be their God, and they shall be my people.' " 

Satan's shrewdness is laid bare 

Turning toward Man-of-the-World, who represented the 
League as its presiding officer, he rebuked the knavish scheme. 

"There is one at the table, who, though unseen by our eyes, 
is the promoter of this iniquitous scheme," he said. "He is here 
to further his own ends." 



212 



IX WITH THE PRIESTS 



For an instant Satan was startled at the words, for lie seemed to 
feel the eyes of all present npon him. 

' ' The Church of the Living God doth not need the gold of those 
who have designs upon her, ' ' Evangelist went on. ' ' The Lord of 
Heaven desires consecrated wealth, and better far that the 
churches of this city stand in debt, than that their burdens should 
be eased by tainted gold." 

Bewildennent fell upon all, and as the company hastily dis- 
banded, the voice of Evangelist, in words of bold denouncement, 
was heard above the confusion. Looking directly at Man-of-the- 
World, he said: 

''Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that 
the favor of God's anointed might be purchased with gold." 

Then the prophet gathered the priests of the Lord around him, 
and once more admonished them to beware of the wiles of the 
wicked one. 

' ' Separate yourselves from among those who do wickedly, and 
touch not the unclean thing, ' ' he exhorted. ' ' Go ye to your homes 
and with thankfulness be content to work faithfully in the Mas- 
ter's cause, for the Angel of the Lord hath this day delivered us 
from the snares of the Devil." 

As the company went homeward, the Angel, still invisible, 
lifted her hands as though pronouncing in the name of her God 
a benediction upon each serv^ant of the Most High. 

Evangelist accompanied Miss Sincere, and as they looked out 
toward the crimson west where the day was dying, she said: 

*'We have indeed seen strange things this day." 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



213 



^'Yes," replied the patriarch. ''The Lord has enabled us to 
triumph over our enemies. ' ' 

A MEETING OF CONDOLENCE 

Man-of-the-World, Hypocrite, and Satan met later at one of the 
clubs and condoled with each otlier. 

''You remember, I told you," said Hypocrite to Satan, "Evan- 
gelist is stronger and wiser than you and the whole pack of your 
fiends. ' ' 

"You made the mistake," replied Satan, "of not working the 
plan secretly. You might have been certain that Evangelist 
would oppose it." 

"That 's just like you, Satan," replied Hypocrite. "You al- 
ways place the blame for your own failures LipOn some one else. 
What a perfect fellow you must be. ' ' 

"The expense for this banquet will be heavy," he went on, 
"and a few of us will have to reach into our pockets and bear it. 
No more exiDcriments of this kind for me ! I have had my hands 
burnt this time, but — " 

"Don't let a little thing like this annoy you," said Satan, as- 
suming an air of indifference. "We '11 make up for it." 

"I should think it was a pretty well defined annoyance," an- 
swered Hypocrite. 

"Yes, and as far as making it up is concerned, that is always 
your way out of a thing, Satan, ' ' indignantly added Man-of-the- 
World. "The future for you holds a comfortable solution for 
ever^^thing. Well, as for me, count me out of your scheme. ' ' 



214 



IN WITH THE PRIESTS 



Honesty is the best policy/' yawned Hypocrite, at which, 
though incensed, both Satan and Mr. Man-of-the-World laughed; 
for, coming from him, the words had a very odd sound. 

One by one the figures before me melted into shadows and then 
vanished entirely. I was alone with a new sense of God's omnipo- 
tence, and as I thanked Him for it, I closed my eyes and slept. 



CHAPTER X 



Butterflies in Vacation Time 

"In this God's world, with its wild-whirling eddies and mad foam- 
oceans, where men and nations perish as if without law and judgment, 
for an unjust thing is sternly delayed, does thou think that there is 
therefore no justice? It is what the fool hath said in his heart." 

—Carlyle, "Past and Present." 

IX my dream my eyes rested on a summer land. Living things 
were leaping in the grass, drifting upon the air. The wind, 
wandering past me, left a scent of violets and clover, and 
dusted the white pollen of the grasses upon the ferns and rushes 
that here and there overhung the edges of a shallow pool. Over 
all hung a dreamy haze which enameled each quivering leaf and 
swinging grass blade. 

A yellow cloud drifted through the limpid air, hung over the 
pool, then settled beside it. Drawing nearer I saw that it was a 
vast aggTegation of butterflies. I also saw that the pool was stag- 
nant and that in many places its edge was foul and slimy, and 
already held in its grasp thousands of the insects in the agonies 
of death, while others fanned the sun-kissed air with their bright 

wings in vain attempts to escape. Beings of strange appearance, 

215 



216 BUTTEEFLIES IX VACATION TIME 



swift-footed and nimble, darted among them with nets in their 
hands, and many fell victims to their skill in using them. 

THE ANGEL INTERPRETS THE VISION 

As I gazed upon the scene, I wondered what lesson the vision 
held for me, and, as I meditated, the more I was mystified. Then 
it was that I saw the Guardian Angel approaching, and soon she 
stood by my side. 

''Dost thou understand the meaning of thy vision f she asked. 

''I am unable to interpret it," I answered. 

Taking me aside, we sat down under an overspreading oak. and 
she began to unfold its meaning. 

"Thou shalt see this vision fulfilled in actual life during the 
vacation season, ' ' she began. ' ' These butterflies, light and fan- 
tastic of wing, typify the gay set, who frequent the famous water- 
ing-places in search of pleasure. 

"The stagnant pool symbolizes modem society, and the muddy 
edges upon which many of the butterflies ventured represent 
the danger-points where many a fair young life has besmirched its 
character, and sometimes lost its soul. The strange beings who 
scampered about with nets are modem imps of Satan whom he 
teaches to ensnare the innocent. Such is the interpretation of 
the vision, and thou shalt later behold its fulfillment." 

"Are not the enjoyments of mountain and seashore during the 
summer season— the period of relaxation after close application 
to business, innocent delights?" I asked. 

' ' They are when rightly used, ' ' replied the Angel. 



BUTTEEFLIES IX VACATION TIME 



217 



At Longshore, the first to greet my eyes were Light Heart, Pre- 
sumption and Incredulous, the foolish trio whom Evangelist had 
met in the Primrose Path near the City of Worldliness. They 
were dressed in the latest mode, and with apparently all restraint 
cast to the winds, were squandering money in a fashion that as- 
tonished even the fashionable set in which they moved. 

WHERE SATAN SPREADS HIS NET 

Meeting on the boardwalk a bevy of girls, whose attire had 
taxed the resources of the most fashionable modistes, they bent 
low in affected salutations, and after much senseless talk all 
sauntered off together. I wondered then if the girls were not the 
beautiful butterflies I had seen, and the three fops, the strange 
beings who sought to ensnare them. 

Then the explanation of the Angel came to mind. ' ' The stag- 
nant pool symbolizes modern society, and the muddy edge in 
which the butterflies are imperilled represents the danger-points 
where many a fair young life is besmirched in character, and 
where ofttimes the soul is lost." 

''Ah, I see," said I again to myself. ''The pool typifies the 
condition of society life, wherein the Archfiend accomplishes his 
secret and seductive work." 

And now for many days I abode in this summer city by the sea, 
taken hither and thither in my vision. At times I saw the un- 
tiring King of Evil plan fresh snares for the souls of men; at 
others I could hear above the sound of old ocean, prayers of deep 
supplication or hymns of praise to the Most High. 

Many faces did I see — bright and ruddy youth; middle life, 



218 



BUTTERFLIES IX VACATION TIME 



prosperous or scarred by toil or passion, old age, serene and calm 
or bowed with years and infirmities, passed before me. an endless 
procession where hope and fear, prodigality and greed, purity and 
lust, mingled in inextricable confusion. 
And this is what I saw and heard. 

SATAX ISSUES ORDERS 

''Fix up the saloons, the pool-rooms, the ball-rooms, and the 
dancing-pavilions in the most attractive manner, and do not neg- 
lect to install the latest gambling devices," the Archfiend or- 
dered. 

"I will attend to it. and see that all are patronized." was the 
reply of the one to whom Satan entrusted such matters, "for 
what we lost in the city, last year, we must make up this sum- 
mer. 

"We shall succeed, too." he added, ''if the Angel and Evan- 
gelist keep away from Longshore." 

' ' Xo danger of their ever coming here. ' ' replied Satan. ' ' They 
are too busy at the camp-meetings and summer schools." 

"Those gatherings are matters we must look after, too." said 
another fiend, who also seemed to be an active worker. 

"You can't do much when a revival is in progress, or where 
summer schools for college students are being carried on. I 've 
had experience in such things," explained Satan. "However, 
I have sent out a few trusty workers to see what is going on," he 
continued. "They can. at least, make trouble, and it is always 
worth while to do that." 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



219 



'^I saw tliat enthusiastic fellow here to-day — what 's his 
name I ' ' inquired one of the fiends. 
^'Who?" anxiously inquired Satan. 

^'I forget his name, but he led the pilgrims the day we de- 
stroyed the Path to the Cross, and hung up the mist," explained 
his informant. 

' ' You don 't mean Determination T ' 

^^Yes, that is the man." 
Curse him!" said the Archfiend in a burst of wrath. "What 
is he doing here?" 

''I don't know, but he was very much in earnest about some- 
thing, and was engaged in conversation with three others whom 
I did not recognize, ' ' the fiend continued. 

"He 's planning to give us some kind of trouble, ' ' said Satan. 
' ^ I must look into this. ' ' 

WHAT SHALL THE HARVEST BE? 

Still in my dream I saw a mansion, furnished lavishly through- 
out. Exquisite tapestries and paintings adorned the rooms where 
young and old mingled in revelry. Men and women, youth and 
maidens, abandoned themselves to the pleasure of the wine-cup 
and the dance, while Satan looked on approvingly. 

Peering more closely through the costly windows, I saw that 
the host and hostess were Mr. Man-of-the-World and his wife, 
and that, as floods tear away walls and spread their debris on fair 
gardens, so the glamour of the evening was devastating the finer 
instincts of many who were for the first time participating in such 



220 BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 

festivities. My heart was heavy, yet I was powerless to reach 
forth a saving hand. 

As I watched the progress of the night's debauch — the more 
shameful because of the high standing of the participants— these 
words came to me like a prophecy : — 

"Sowing the seed of a lingering pain, 
Sowing the seed of a maddened brain. 
Sowing tha seed of a tarnished name, 
Sowing the seed of eternal shame, 
What shall the harvest be ? 
Ah, what shall the harvest be?" 

Sick at heart, I turned away and walked forth under the silent 
stars. 

I heard the sea. sounding on the shore, the green sea, white 
flecked, which great ships tore into tattered foam-laces as they 
passed by and were lost in the night. Its tirelessness and cease- 
less motion rested me, and I thanked God for the glory of it, and 
for the stars— broad Orion and flashing Sirius and all the lesser 
hosts — the unknown in space. I prayed that each might give me 
of their knowledge of the All-father; that they might give me 
fresh vigor of soul. 

SATAN's GII2DED ATTRACTIONS 

Thousands of souls daih" strolled back and forth on the ocean- 
front ''boardwalk" and crowded the pavilions at the bathing 
hour to watch the scene; thousands, for lack of anything else to 
do, spent their time in investigating the attractions Satan had 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 223 



lavishly provided. Children and youth whose minds were yet 
untarnished were there, and though under the surveillance of 
parents, or more often of hired attendants, were being touched for 
the first time by sights and suggestions of evil. 

As I wended my way from the beach to the city of Long- 
shore, I came to a wide and well-paved avenue on which stood 
rows of costly dwellings, separated by lawns to which the florist's 
art had given an added beauty. One whom I met told me in an- 
swer to my question, that this was the fashionable section of the 
city, and only those resided there who could boast of blue blood 
which had coursed through an ancestry dating back a century or 
more. 

^'Here," said my informant, ''dwell for the summer the aris- 
tocracy of our larger cities. 

"There is n't another place like this in all the world," he 
added. ''They say there is one in Europe that comes pretty near 
to it, but I don't believe it." 

A JOHN THE BAPTIST IS NEEDED 

Determination and his band of faithful workers had come to 
Longshore to bear the message of the Master to the gay and 
frivolous set who were wandering far from the safe paths of life. 

"What can we do in the midst of these conditions to prepare 
the way of the Lord, and make straight His path before the peo- 
ple?" inquired Whole-soul. ' ' We are His followers. ' ' 

" 'Whose fan is in his hand and he will purge his floor, and 
will gather his wheat into the garner, but he will burn up the chaff 

13 — The Modern Devil. 



224 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



with unquenchable fire,' " said Determination thoughtfully, in 
reply. 

'^It is our duty as His disciples to warn this heedless multi- 
tude of their peril," replied Whole-soul. 

'^It is a tryst between us," answered Determination. ''May 
the Lord baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fire." 

"The Lord grant it," responded Whole-soul, in the spirit of 
a prayer. 

A CHAPEL OF EASE 

A beautiful stone edifice stood on one of the principal streets 
of the residential district of the city, and close by its entrance I 
noticed a sign on which in letters of gold were inscribed, The 
Church of the Redeemer. 

It was a Sunday morning, and people from the fashionable set 
met at the church door and passed in to observe during the ser- 
vice every outward form of religious worship. Attendance upon 
this particular church was fashionable at Longshore, and there- 
fore, its pews were filled with young and old. 

The minister, the Rev. Mr. Please-all, conducted the service, 
and I learned that he was a favorite among the aristocracy, be- 
cause he was willing to wink at their purpose to serve both God 
and mammon. They paid him a handsome salary and housed 
him in splendor; for a man of his habitude and style was diffi- 
cult to secure. 

His sermons were brief, and delivered with the grace of a pol- 
ished orator. His themes were pleasing and never calculated to 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



225 



disturb a conscience. Music of an operatic character was render- 
ed by a choir of trained voices, specially engaged for the sea- 
son, and this feature of the service attracted many visitors. 

Among those who were notably present this morning were 
Mr. Man-of-the-World and his wife, and Mr. Hypocrite and his 
wife, and the rustling garments of the ladies attracted much at- 
tention as they passed slowly down the aisle to their pews. 

''That was a hollow mockery," said Whole-soul to his friend, 
as they came forth from the church. "The spirit of worship was 
not there, and neither the sermon nor the singing was calculated 
to inspire it. ' ' 

''It is what these people want, or else they would not support 
it financially, as they do," replied Determination. 

"Think of a church being officered by men of such character 
as Hypocrite and Man-of-the-World," said Whole-soul. 

"So long as conscience is lulled to sleep by this butterfly ex- 
istence, men will be content with mere religious performance, and 
Satan will reap his harvest, ' ' added Whole-soul. 

OLD FRIENDS CONFER 

Man-of-the-World and Hypocrite had large investments at 
Longshore, and many pleasing entertainments to which the fash- 
ionable set resorted, were made possible by their financial en- 
couragement. 

' ' The races will net us a big gain from the way the books have 
shown up thus far, ' ' said Man-of-the-World to Hypocrite. 



226 BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



^'Yes,'' replied Hypocrite jokingly, ^'we shall be able to reim- 
burse oursejves for the banquet given the ministers last year. ' ' 

' ' That sounds funnier the further you get away from it, ' ' said 
Man-of-the-World. '^That old fellow, Evangelist, is a sharper.'' 

''It was n't quite so funny at the time, though," replied 
Hypocrite; at which remark they both laughed heartily. 

They were seated together in one of the pavilions overlooking 
the scene, puffing choice cigars with much satisfaction; seemingly 
at peace with all the world. 

ANOTHER FRIEND JOINS THEM 

As I gazed intently upon the pair, some one joined them. 
''Well! you seem to be taking things easy," the new comer 
said. 

"Well! well! I have n't seen you for an age; where have you 
been since we parted after the ministers ' banquet ? ' ' inquired Mr. 
Hypocrite. 

"You look tired," said Mr. Man-of-the-World. "Longshore 
does n't seem to agree with you." 

"I 'm all right," responded Satan, for it was none other. "I 
've Been in this vicinity for a great many years. I always spend 
my summers here. ' ' 

' ' Profitable ? ' ' queried Mr. Hypocrite. 

"Yes, things are spinning along all right, down here, this sea- 
son, ' ' added His Majesty with a chuckle. 
As they chatted, Man-of-the-A¥orld noticed a crowd collecting 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



227 



on the beach, and the words of a hymn were carried to their ears 
by the winds of the sea. 

"Onward Christian soldiers. 
Marching as to war." 

Satan quickly turned to the direction from whence the sound 
issued, and then grew pale. 

THE MEETING ON THE BEACH 

There stood Determination and Whole-soul; and with them 
his face uplifted to Heaven, stood Evangelist, and Miss Sincere 
was with them, also. 

''What in the name of " ejaculated Satan, and without fin- 
ishing his remark he hurried away. 

' ' All of that preaching crowd are here, ' ' said Hypocrite to Man- 
of-the-World, ''and take my word for it there will be some fun." 

Both started to leave the spot, when the voice of the patriarch 
attracted them, and they bent over the balustrade to catch his 
words. 

TAKING RISKS FOR ETERNITY 

"The wives and daughters of the men of this city are vying for 
positions in 'society' and are controlled entirely by a thirst to get 
into the so-called ' four hundred. ' 

' ' There are scores within the hearing of my voice, among young 
and old to-day, who, if they can achieve their desire for pleasure, 



228 



BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



are satisfied to take all risk as to where they shall spend eternity. 

'Woe! Woe! unto them that say concerning evil it is good, and 
good evil; that put darkness for light and light for darkness; that 
put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. ' 

' ' 'Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes and perfect in 
their own sight. ^ 

" 'Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of 
strength to mingle strong drink, which justify the wicked for re- 
ward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from 
him. ' 

" 'Therefore, as the tongues of fire devouretli the stubble and 
the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness 
and their blossom shall go up as the dust ; because they have cast 
away the day of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the 
Holy One of Israel. ' 

' ' ' For all His anger is not turned away, but His hand is out- 
stretched still.' 

MAY EVERY HEART CONFESS THY NAME 

These were the words which Evangelist hurled against the sins 
of the city by the sea, that day. With hands outstretched, his 
voice changed to ineffable tenderness, as he plead with the gay 
and frivolous to seek the safe path, and with these words en- 
treated them: 

' ' ' Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I 
will give you rest.' '' 
Then a great silence fell upon the multitude, which was broken 



BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 229 



only by the low moaning of the sea, until Miss Sincere arose, and 
with a clear voice sang : 

"Hear the sweet voice of Jesus, 
Full, full of love ; 
Calling, tenderly calling, lovingly, 
Come, O sinner come." 

Then an earnest prayer from Whole-soul followed, and the liv- 
ing throng scattered and went its way. 

Satan had mingled with the crowd and noticed the effect of 
Evangelist's words. 

' ' The Church of the Redeemer won 't hurt our business, ' ' said 
he to one of his fiends who accompanied him, ''but I 'm afraid of 
Determination and his band." 

''That message of Evangelist has already done harm to our 
schemes, ' ' replied the one addressed. 

"The singing was as harmful to us as Evangelist's message,'' 
rejoined the Archfiend. "That man and his fellow-workers seem 
ubiquitous. ' ' 

LIGHT-HEART LEAVES HIS FOOLISH COMPANIONS 

Each of the beach meetings was attended by larger crowds than 
the one preceding it. The younger set in large numbers were 
seen daily, and many of the fashionable functions were sparsely 
attended in consequence. 

' ' That man. Evangelist, is in dead earnest anyway, ' ' said Light 
Heart to his companions. 



230 BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



''Yes/' responded Presumption, ''but I do not let Ms words 
have any effect upon me. People are foolish for listening to him. 
He 's an old fanatic. People don't believe that kind of preaching 
in these times," replied Incredulous. 

"I have more faith in him," continued Light Heart, "since his 
exposure of the Primrose Path. He did know a thing or two 
about that. The exposure may have saved us our lives for aught 
we know. ' ' 

"You speak as though you were converted," said Incredulous, 
at which remark both he and Presumption laughed heartily. 

"Well, I 'm for hearing all he has to say. I think the people 
hereabouts feel that he speaks the truth. Anyway, things are not 
quite the same since he came," answered Light Heart. 

' ' Come on fellows, ' ' said Satan, as the three were about separ- 
ating. "Come on, find your ladies, and take in the theatre to- 
night. It 's going to be a great show." 

Incredulous and his friend. Presumption, sauntered off with 
His Majesty; and at Light Heart's refusal to go with them, Sa- 
tan laughed in ridicule. 

The opening sound of the beach meeting just then attracted 
the attention of Light Heart, and he hurried down, until he stood 
near the little company. The hymn sung by Miss Sincere served 
its purpose in getting a great crowd around the speakers. The 
placid stars looked down upo^ them and threw their calm light 
over Evangelist and his band of helpers. 

The Angel was there also, and though unseen, mingled with 
the throng, that she might open the door of the heart to the mes- 
sage of Grod's anointed ones. 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 231 



At tlie same time I saw a little compan}^ of people in earnest 
conversation in the library of Mr. Man-of-tlie-"Vyorld, and noted 
in particular, the presence of Rev. Mr. Please-all and Mr. Hypo- 
crite. 

A BURNING QUESTION 

^ ' Can we not bring influence upon the authorities to have this 
business agitated ? ' ' asked Please-all of Man-of-the- World. 

"It would be pretty difficult to attempt that now; for it would 
meet with strong opposition on the part of those who seem to be 
captivated by Evangelist and the singer," replied Man-of-the- 
World. 

"Our church attendance is falling off woefully, and besides, 
the question of finance is troubling our officers. Of course, we 
would not admit these facts to outsiders," continued Please-all. 

"We shall have to do something to offset this beach-business," 
replied Man-of-the-World in a half interested and conciliatory 
tone. 

^ ^ What can we do ? " queried Hypocrite. ' ' Neither the man nor 
his methods are at fault; neither are his helpers, and the message 
of Evangelist is nearer the truth than we are perhaps ready to 
admit." 

"That may all be true," continued Please-all, "but the Church 
of the Eedeemer is suffering from this prolonged sanctimonious- 
ness ; and there must be relief of some kind. I feel that it is the 
duty of the authorities of Longshore to insist upon their de- 
parture. " 

A quiet member of the committee, whose name I learned later, 



232 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



was Thoughtful, had not spoken a word during the discussion. 

Please-all now turned in his chair, and with considerable def- 
erence, appealed to his judgment concerning this important mat- 
ter. 

''What is your idea concerning the disposition of this ques- 
tion?" he asked. 

GAMALIEL'S ADVICE IS QUOTED 

Thoughtful sat in silence for a moment, and then looking direct 
into the eyes of the minister said: 

"Gamaliel's advice to the council of old, concerning such mat- 
ters, seems to me to apply to this situation." 

''What is that?" asked Man-of-the-World, who seemed aroused 
to new interest by Thoughtful's words. 

"It is this," continued Thoughtful. 

" 'Take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching 
these men. Refrain from them and let them alone, for if this work 
be of men it will come to naught ; but if it be of God, ye cannot 
overthrow it lest haply ye be found to seem to contend against 
God.' " 

' ' That may be the true light in which to view this matter, ' ' re- 
sponded Hypocrite, who had a keen remembrance of Evangelist 
and his pointed words. 

"Yes, yes, Mr. Thoughtful," answered Please-all, excitedly, 
"that is good advice, but you know the church acts by ditferent 
methods nowadays. Then, too, this case is so apparent. Gama- 
liel would no doubt adopt our projDOsed course in dealing with this 
question, were he here to-day. ' ' 



BUTTERFLIES IN VACATION TIME 233 



^*Do not impute sucli action, even by inference to Gamaliel, Mr. 
Please-all, ' ' said Thoughtful in a firm and decided tone. 

NOTHING IS ACHIEVED 

"We had better think over the matter and have another confer- 
ence a little later on," added Man-of-the-World, who saw that 
the minister was being silenced by the sounder wisdom of 
Thoughtful. 

"Perhaps we had, as it is growing late," answered Mr. Please- 
all. 

NEITHER DO I CONDEMN THEE 

Still in my dream, I saw a little room facing the sea, from 
whence its roaring and beating could be heard; and within the 
room were three persons in the attitude of prayer. 

"Look to the Cross; there alone is hope. Jesus died to save the 
lost." 

I recognized the voice of Evangelist. 

"It is true, sister; nestle thyself in His love," came from the 
lips of Miss Sincere; and then I learned that the hour's com- 
munion was for the rescue of a Magdalen who, touched by the 
message of Evangelist, had brought to him her sin-stained life, 
that she might find the Christ. 

"I have fallen through the temptations of a fashionable life; 
all which it delights in, I have tasted;" and, with a burst of tears 
she cried in the language of a broken heart, betwixt her sobs. "I 



234 



BUTTEKFLIES IN VACATION TIME 



have sinned in the glamour of a life which has left its scars on 
this very city. There is no hope for my soul ! There is no hope ! ' ' 
Kneeling tenderly by her side, Miss Sincere, with a yearning 
which the Angel which stood in her midst alone could fathom, 
brushed away her tears, and pressing her cheek against that of 
the penitent, whispered: 

" 'Once in Jerusalem a woman kneeled at consecrated feet, 
And kissed them, and washed them with her tears.' " 

The Magdalen looked up, inquiringly, into the face of Miss 
Sincere, and asked, "What then I " 

"I know that our Lord is pitiful. Lay thy trembling life be- 
neath His smile. " 

''Oh, will He forgive me?" entreated the sin-tossed soul, as 
she looked trustingly into the eyes of her friend. 

''Yes, 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as 
snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.' " 

"Listen, daughter," said Evangelist, "to what Jesus said to 
one like thee," and opening his Bible he read: 

' ' ' Neither do I condemn thee. Go and sin no more. ' " 

In that little room I saw a soul was won to the love of Christ 
and a pure life; and heard the Angel whisper: 

" 'Let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the 
error of his ways shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a 
multitude of sins. ' ' ' 

"I thought her captive. Curse that Evangelist. This season 
has brought nothing but defeat, ' ' said Satan to his helpers, when 
he heard of the work of the prophet and Miss Sincere. 



BUTTEEFLIES IN VACATION TIME 235 

* * The heads of hundreds are turned and we are losing inch hy 
inch. There is no way I know of to resist it ; our plans are, up to 
this time, failures, even among the ' smart set, ' ' ' was the sullen 
reply. 

Yes, they are compromising everywhere,'' added Satan, "and 
that old fanatic, Evangelist, is at the bottom of it all. ' ' 

DEATH IN LIFE 

As Rev. Mr. Please-all stood before his church the day follow- 
ing, much disturbed in mind, his eyes rested upon the gold-let- 
tered sign by the door with its words, The Church of the Re- 
deemer. As he did so, the Angel who stood near, said within his 
soul where none save he could hear: 

" 'Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.' " 



The preacher whitened with shame and turned away. 



CHAPTEB XI 



Running Past the Signals 

"Four things come not back : the spoken word, the sped arrow, the 
past life, the neglected opportunity," 

"Before you begin a thing, make sure it is the right thing to do: 
ask Mr. Conscience about it." 

— Spurgeon. 

ONCE more my vision led me into Satan's stronghold. As 
my eyes became accustomed to the gloom of the corri- 
dor along which I seemed to be guided by unseen hands, 
a door near by was thrown open and Satan stepped out, accom- 
panied by the governor of the castle. 

^'I have made up my mind," I heard the Archfiend say, ^'that 
we must teach men not to pay much attention to the signals that 
the church hangs out. We must show them that they lose alto- 
gether too much time in waiting for the signals of danger to 
change to those of safety as they speed along the road of life. 
Besides, we can capture more souls if we cater to man's love of 
independence. To do this we must display false signals among 
those they ordinarily meet, and let them choose which they will 

observe. ' ' 
236 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



237 



^^The idea is excellent, Your Majesty; and when you have given 
your usual careful attention to the details of the plan, there can 
be no doubt of its success," replied the obsequious fiend. 

IN Satan's workshops 

Dismissing his companion, Satan now descended a staircase 
which led to a tier of rooms hewn out in the solid rock upon 
which the castle was built. In these shops his ever busy work- 
men manufactured whatever was needed to carry out the schemes 
he originated in his own apartments in another part of the castle. 
Still in my dream, I followed him and heard his orders. 

''Place plenty of poison in that ink," said Satan to a grinning 
demon who was busy stirring the contents of a huge caldron. 

"More than the usual supply has been put in to-day," was the 
reply, accompanied with a fiendish chuckle. 

A score of fiends with vile countenances were busy at benches 
back of the caldron, bottling the fluid, and another set were en- 
gaged in pasting on the labels, upon which appeared in bright 
yellow : 

INK FOR PRINTING BAD BOOKS AND PICTURES 

' ' That stuff is doing us great service, ' ' said Satan. ' ' See that 
you keep the mixture up to the standard. ' ' 

"Is there as great a demand for it as ever?" asked the fore- 
man of the shop. 

"Yes, indeed. Thousands of printing-presses are using it. 



238 EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



Spread on the pages of catchy novels it makes captivating read- 
ing for young boys, who flock to the news-stands of the cities for 
it. Such literature is just what we want to accomplish our pur- 
pose among the young. If we can only kindle the flame of sensual 
imagination in boys and girls, we shall dwarf the qualities of 
character which the teachers of God are seeking to inculcate. 
Yes," he continued, "books and pictures printed with this ink 
will pollute their minds, shrivel their understanding, and curse 
them down to old age. This ink is doing a great work in cor- 
rupting character; no othei could produce such an effect." 
Satan seemed in a confidential mood, for he continued: 
''I am personally interested in the output of certain printing- 
presses in a few of our large cities, but the 'Purity Societies' are 
very vigilant, and great care has to be used in shipping this ink. 
Last year cighty-tzuo tons of our literature was seized and de- 
stroyed by agents of those fanatical societies. This, of course, is 
but a fraction of the product, but we do not encourage attacks 
upon this particular line of business, preferring to have it carried 
on secretly." 

Unseen, I followed Satan from the room and watched him 
pause for a moment beside a door upon which was inscribed — 

INSPIRATION BUREAU OF FOUL THOUGHTS 

In reply to some signal the door opened, and, still unseen, I 
entered with the Enemy of Man and heard his greeting to the 
sole occupant of the room : 

' ' Still busy in our cause, I see. ' ' 




•240 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



241 



'^Yes, more busy tlian ever," was tlie reply. 

Since the vision had been upon me I had seen many of Satan's 
attendant fiends and helpers, bnt never had I seen one that in- 
spired me with such disgust as he who now arose from a table 
covered with papers and writing materials, and drew near to con- 
fer with his chief. 

He was very old, stooped, and shrunken in form. Long, strag- 
gling hair, through which he from time to time ran his thin fin- 
gers, fell over his wrinkled forehead. His face showed the utter 
depravity of his mind: its expression was hideous to behold. As 
he shambled forward, a lecherous fire shone in his evil eyes. 

Satan regarded him intently for a moment. 

"Upon what have you been working to-day ?" he inquired. 

"Inventing details for the society scandal you wanted written 
up for that big newspaper. I 've made them as risque as the dear 
public will stand," was the reply. 

"Finish the story as quickly as you can," Satan continued, 
"for I have a new commission for you. I have an order for a 
novel which must be as filthy as it can be made and yet keep 
within the law. I can safely leave the plot with you, but I would 
suggest that the naiTative open with the murder of a husband by 
a faithless wife, and end with a double suicide — that of the 
woman and her lover. ' ' 

"I have never failed you at this sort of thing, have I?" in- 
quired the loathsome scrivener. ' ' Leave it to me. I will put more 
brutality and lust into these pages than have ever before been 
compassed in one book. The vilest characters in the story shall be 
members of some church — that will bring religion into disrepute 

14 — The Modern Devil. 



242 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



and the plot shall be handled so cleverly that each reader shall 
peruse the book to the end. ' ' 

'^Make it your masterpiece," remarked Satan, '^and your re- 
ward shall be doubled. More than that, ' ' he added, ' ' when it is at 
the height of its vogue it shall be dramatized, so that thousands 
may nightly applaud its carefully veiled lewdness. 

' ' Success to the brain that conceives and the pen that writes the 
Devil 's books and plays ! ' ' 

Once more in the long corridor, for I still seemed able to ac- 
company Satan unseen by him, we passed several doors only to 
halt before one which bore the legend: 

' THE HOME OF LIES 

This door Satan unlocked with a key of intricate design and 
stepped into the room. 

A machine of curious construction occupied considerable space 
in the room, and from it wires connected the place with the entire 
world, each marked with the name of the country it served. 

Operating this machine with a rapidity and ease that told of 
long practice and a thorough acquaintance with its noiseless 
mechanism, was a fiend whose crafty eyes lighted up with pleas- 
ure as his visitor entered the room. A red lamp suspended from 
the ceiling cast its rays full upon his weazen face, and in this 
ruddy gleam he looked the embodiment of cunning and deceit — 
a wily treacherous fiend, fit subject and able tool of His Satanic 
Majesty. 

^ ' One moment, please, ' ' he said, as Satan crossed the room and 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



243 



stood by him. ^^I am at work on a 'rush order' and do not wish to 
shut down the machine until it is filled. There, ' ' he exclaimed a 
moment later as he arose and extended his hand in cordial greet- 
ing. "That is off my mind. The order was from a big corpora- 
tion—one of our regular customers. It was for an assorted Jot 
of lies they needed for a new prospectus which is to be sent out 
broadcast." 

Satan grasped his hand and shook it heartily. 

^ ' There is no lack of orders then f " he asked. 

' ' No, indeed. There never was a greater demand for lies than 
now. Nearly every trade and profession has adopted them. They 
are becoming very critical, though. Once, any lie we happened to 
have in stock was good enough to send out, but now, to have any 
market value, a lie must be fresh and attractive, ' ' was the reply. 

''Well,'' rejoined Satan, "we have always been able to supply 
the demand for lies, and as we have a monopoly of the business 
and can dictate prices, we will go right along with the work. 
Here is a batch of orders received to-day. Fill them in the order 
in which they are numbered. 

"The first is from the Mayor of a large city," Satan went on. 
"Before his election he promised anything and everything to 
those who worked for him, but now he cannot ' deliver the goods ' 
and wants to be helped out. He pays well and we must help him. 

"The next is from the attorneys of a man who has appropri- 
ated to his own use the savings of the industrious poor. Their 
client is a wealthy man, and so this request gets a place near the 
top of the list. 

''And so they go on," he continued, handing the papers to the 



244 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



grinning workman. These requests run the whole gamut of 
crime and wretchedness; of passion and revenge. Half of the 
world seems to be running past the signals of Truth, and when the 
crash comes their souls must be mine." 

So saying, he hastened away and I followed him. 

At the end of the corridor was a room whose noiseless doors 
swung easily to Satan's touch. We stepped within to find it a 
very chamber of horrors, for here were done the 

MURDER OF THE INNOCENTS 

The fiend in charge of this terrible business wore a grave and 
professional aspect, as he bent over a long list of names, men and 
women alike, very many of whom were people who moved in 
fashionable society. As I turned with a shudder from this den of 
infamy, I heard Satan say: 

' ' I have given a great deal of thought to the work of your de- 
partment, and am pleased with the way you handle it. I am 
confident you will soon note an increase in the volume of business, 
and that it will come largely from the 'smart set' who are too 
deeply interested in the pleasures of society to let anything stand 
in the way of a continued round of frivolous pleasure. 

''If you have any difficulty in smothering the voice of con- 
science in your patrons, call upon the Bureau of Lies for assist- 
ance. Its experts can easily convince those who waver in their 
purpose, that what they contemplate is not murder. 

"Be very guarded, though, about one thing," Satan continued. 
''While I am determined to foster 'race suicide,' statistics re- 



RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 245 



garding it must not be given out, for their publication would raise 
a cry of horrified protest all over the civilized world. ' ' 

As I regained the corridor, I could still feel the touch of the 
invisible hand, and now it led me to a door upon which I saw the 
words : 

MURDER BY ALL METHODS 

Underneath, in smaller letters were the words: Open day and 
night. Enter! 

As though pressed by the invisible hand of my conductor, the 
door swung back and I stepped into a room, half workshop, half 
warehouse. Scores of lamps, each in a colored shade, hung from 
the ceiling, their rays bathing the entire apartment in blood-red 
light. Shelves filled with lethal weapons ran along both sides 
of this room, and upon them were piled bludgeons, axes, pistols, 
daggers and other tools of the murderer. At the farther end of 
the room were forges, benches, and machines at which workmen 
were busily engaged in the manufacture of these implements. 

As I stood in the murderous gleam of lamp and forge, shocked 
beyond power of speech or action, I saw Satan enter noiselessly. 

His eyes swept around the room, and took in with satisfaction 
the busy company and the array along the walls. Then he 
stamped thrice upon the floor, and, as if in answer to his sum- 
mons, a fawning fiend appeared, who fell upon one knee in obse- 
quious homage to His Satanic Majesty. 

Before the door by which he entered could close behind him 
there came through it a wailing shriek of such agony as could 



246 EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



only have arisen from the throat of one forever damned. As the 
door swung into its accustomed place I read upon it in letters that 
shone like bale-fires: 

THE ABODE OF LOST SOULS 

"Rise/' said Satan as he extended his hand to the demon who 
knelt before him. "Rise, and show me the records of your work 
for half a century back. I wish to compare it with some figures 
I have here. 

"You know that certain bodies of Christians hold daily ser- 
vices during the period that represents the forty days' fast of the 
man Jesus, whom, when sore hungered, I tempted with great 
promises to acknowledge me as Lord of the Earth. At one of 
these services," he continued — "to-day, in fact, one high in ec- 
clesiastical office gave this to his hearers : 

" 'Fifty years ago we had one criminal in every three thousand, 
four hundred and forty-two of population. Forty years later we had 
one criminal to every seven hundred and fifteen of population, and I 
dare not look at the figures for the current year for the proportion 
of crime has increased to an appalling extent. Explain away this 
disgraceful decadence of the American people as you will, the 
fact remains. 

' ' ' And bear in mind that these are only statistics of the convict- 
ed criminals, but you and I know of many who lead criminal lives 
whom the law cannot reach. We come in contact with them every 
day. Again, in every two hundred and eighteen deaths there is one 
murder!' 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



247 



^^Now/' Satan continued, ''of course all these criminals were 
not equipped by your department, but I want to know liow near 
the bishop comes to the truth of the figures relating to murder. 

' ' On second thought, ' ' he went on, ' ' I will not look over your 
records now; you can bring your books to me with your evening 
report.'^ 

"It shall be as your Majesty pleases," rejoined this ally of the 
Archfiend. "But I had hoped you would have sufficient time at 
your disposal to-day to examine an addition I have made to this 
department. I call it 

Satan's suicide annex 

and it is very convenient to have it close by the main office. For- 
merly suicide calls, or rather, orders for suicidal materials, were 
attended to at the office across the corridor, but now, if one 
wishes, for instance, to do murder and then follow it with suicide, 
everything necessar}^ for the accomplishment of both deeds can 
be found right here." 

"That has been cleverly thought out," remarked Satan, "and 
I shall not forget it in the next revision of the pay-roll, but I 
have an engagement which I cannot afford to break." 

So saying, the King of Evil took his leave; and, with unutter- 
able loathing for what I had seen and heard, I passed from the 
room with him. 

SATAN IN THE SCHOOLS 

Once more in the corridor I stood still and watched the Prince 



248 



RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



of Evil as lie strode away, but lie soon returned in conversation 
with a fiend who seemed to be giving an account of certain work 
which had been intrusted to him. 

' ' Well, how did you make out 1 ' ' asked Satan. 

' ' Only fairly well, ' ' was the reply. 

'^I cannot understand why you only did 'fairly well,' '* re- 
joined Satan. ''You had a large supply of choice literature, and 
with that and the names of students in a score of schools and sem- 
inaries, you should have disposed of every book and picture.'' 

"We did the best we could," rejoined Satan's emissary. ''We 
mailed carefully prepared circulars describing the books and 
pictures to thousands of students. We said the pictures were 
the most beautiful specimens of 'French art' ever brought into the 
country. We spoke of the books being superlatively racy, and 
told how they could only be procured in this way. But in spite 
of all our efforts, we could not dispose of more than half of our 
stock. 

"You see," he continued, "reading clubs and summer schools 
are robbing us of our business. It is next to impossible to sow 
the seeds of sensuality and inculcate evil desires, when the minds 
of young people are upon their studies and their thoughts are 
given to the accomplishment of some cherished ambition." 

"I suppose you have done the best you could," Satan re- 
marked. "But I have no intention of letting churches and 'Pur- 
ity Societies' hinder my work in this direction. If necessary. I 
shall attend to it personally, and not intrust it to other hands. 
The souls of young men and women must be mine." 

At these words of Satan I turned to flee as from the breath of 



RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



249 



a pestilence, but in a moment I felt the hand of my invisible com- 
panion and became conscious that I was being led away from this 
stronghold of infamy. When we came into the full light of day, 
beyond the castle walls, I saw my conductor was the Guar- 
dian Angel, and that it was her hand which had led me in safety 
through the Devirs workshops. 

Satan's loathsome hirelings 

As I was about to address the Angel, three of the vilest ap- 
pearing beings I had ever seen, approached at a rapid pace. Hor- 
rified by the demoniacal expression of their faces, I shrank beside 
the Angel for protection as they came near. 

^/Fear not, my child,'' she said tenderly. ''Look yonder to- 
ward the Cross and they can do you no harm." 

The evil ones passed on and entered the castle grounds. 

Then said I to the Angel, ''Who were those abominable crea- 
tures with frightful countenances, and from whence came they?" 

"Those are three of Satan's most seductive fiends," explained 
the Angel; "and they have done great damage to the children 
of men. Their names are, Evil-Imagination, Self-Gratification, 
and Sensual Pleasure." 

"What is the office of the first!" I inquired. 

' ' To destroy the will, bum out the conscience, and harden the 
heart of man, ' ' she replied. 

"And the second?" I asked. 

"To bring ruin to the soul by excluding God," the Angel an- 
swered. 



250 RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



''And the mission of the third!" I made bold to inquire. 

' ' To destroy the holiness of the truest temple, the body of man, 
in which the Holy Spirit would dwell, ' ' said the Angel in reply. 

Kneeling by the foot-path, made smooth by the feet of demons, 
the Angel knelt by my side and prayed. 

''Divine Father, keep those from evil whom Thou hast com- 
mitted to my charge. Save them from the wiles and snares of Sa- 
tan, Let me bring them undefiled to Thee at last, when my work 
is done." 

AND A LITTLE CHILD SHALL LEAD THEM 

We arose and wended our way down the mountain and came 
into the Valley of the Cross, where we fell in with Evangelist who 
was in earnest conversation with a little boy from the City of 
Worldliness, whom he chanced to meet. 

"Thou dost remember me?" he asked tenderly of the child. 

"Yes, I remember seeing you in the pavilion where we news- 
boys had our Christmas dinner," replied the little fellow. 

"What is thy name!" inquired the patriarch. 

' ' My name is Theodore, ' ' he answered. 

' ' That means a gift from God, ' ' explained Evangelist. ' ' Where 
dwell thy parents!" he asked. 
"In yonder city." 

"And hast thou brothers and sisters!" continued the old pro- 
phet. 

"Yes, five brothers and three sisters," he replied. 
"What a blessed home thine must be," replied Evangelist. 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



251 



^'It is the best place I know," replied the boy growing more 
and more confident. ' ' Do you know Miss Sincere ? " he asked in 
his childish way. 

''Yes, indeed I do," replied the old man, as he took the hand 
of the little fellow. 

' ' She 's my Sabbath-school teacher at the mission, and a good 
sweet lady she is too, ' ' said the boy. 

' ' What has she taught you ? ' ' continued the Evangelist. 

' ' She told me it was wrong to steal, or swear or lie ; and said 
that bad thoughts were poison to our hearts, and that we must 
not keep them there. The boys all love her. Nothing they would 
n't do if she asked them," he added proudly. 

"She loves you all," explained Evangelist. 

''We know she does; she shows it. When she formed the 
League all the boys wanted to join it at once. ' ' 

"What League was that I ' ' asked the prophet. 

"The 'Purity League,' " he replied, as if the old man must 
know all about it. 

' ' That must be helpful ; what does Miss Sincere ask you not to 
do?" 

"We promised that we will not read any more of those bad 
stories that we used to buy at the news-stands ; and each member 
of the League is to try and persuade some other boy not to buy 
or read any more of them," he explained in his earnest childish 
manner. 

"You have been well taught, my child?" rejoined the prophet. 
"Learn to do right in the days of thy youth. I shall see thee 
again." 



252 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



So saying, Evangelist went toward tlie city and the Angel ac- 
companied liim. In my vision I was able to see tliem as they 
passed into the city and later that they parted before an office 
upon whose door I could read the words : 

SOCIETY FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF VICE 

As Evangelist entered, Determination and Whole-Soul were 
seated in earnest conversation with' two officers of the Society, 
whose names were Integrity and Virtue. As the four rose to greet 
him, I noticed upon the wall the motto of the Society: 

TO DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL 

Soon the entire company were in conference and during the 
conversation I heard Evangelist say: 

"Satan is more energetic to-day in his efforts to harm the 
young than he has ever been before. One who has just come from 
inspecting the workshops in his castle has told me of his latest 
plan to ensnare and corrupt the youth of this city, and of the 
world. ' ' 

''His vile machinations have for their purpose, the blighting 
of all good in the souls of our youth ; and no effort, whatever the 
cost, is withheld, if he can wrongly signal the youth of each gen- 
eration,'' observed Determination. 

"It is the old story,'' replied Virtue. " 'While men slept, the 
enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his 
way.' " 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



253 



^^If we can only arouse the conscience of God's people to the 
enormity of the Archfiend's plot to ruin the boys and girls of the 
land, they can yet be saved, ' ' he added. 

"There is an increasing demand for more aggressive efforts 
for the suppression of the subtle beginnings of vice. Satan uses 
small seed, but the growth is rapid. His choicest ground for 
sowing it is the child-heart of this age," said Integrity. 

THE POLLUTED FOUNTAIN 

"The words of the great preacher, Wesley, give us sound ad- 
vice," remarked Whole-Soul. 

"What are they?" Determination asked. 
"These," answered Whole-Soul. 

" 'In vain do we go about to purge the streams, if we are at no 
pains about the muddy fountains. ' " 

"Therein is a great truth," added Evangelist. 

Satan had seen Evangelist in conversation with the little boy, 
but hesitated to draw near. He afterwards stealthily followed 
the prophet intending to enter the conference and overhear the 
plans of God's chosen workers. 

As he bent to place his ear against the door, he saw the Good 
Angel who was standing on guard, and was startled by her stern 
command : 

"Begone!" 

He remembered the words she had spoken to him at the Bridge 
of Sighs and slunk away in chagrin. 



254 EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



^ ^ The laws which our society has been instrumental in having 
placed upon the statute books, limit the power of evil/' re- 
marked Integrity, '^and what we need to-day is men of moral 
courage to execute them. It is going to be a long and desperate 
contest, but the Lord is on our side, and therefore we shall win/' 

' ' Only the pure in heart can see God, ' ' said Evangelist in reply 
to Integrity. ^ ' If God is to be seen and loved by the rising gener- 
ation, their hearts must be clean. What are your plans for arous- 
ing the consciences of God's people, and enlisting them actively in 
this fight for purity of thought and speech!" 

THE devil's rapid-firing GUNS 

^^Our society," responded Virtue, "has prepared a message 
which we are sending broadcast. These are among its words : 

'The moral cancer planters of the century with fiendish 
ingenuity are beguiling our children from the paths of sobriety ^ 
honesty, virtue, and truth. The rapid firing guns of the Devil's 
sharpshooters are ever trained upon the youthful mind. Like 
the fire-serpents of old, they are moving amongst the millions 
of developing souls, infecting them tvith moral leprosy— sting- 
ing them to death. These insidious foes corrupt thought, 
debauch the imagination, captivate the fancy, pervert the taste, 
undermine the character, and turn aspirations of the soid away 
from God. Like the plagues of Egypt, these insidious foes 
enter our homes, surround our hearthstones, invade the sleep- 
ing rooms of our children, and compass our youths with an 
environment worse than that of scorpions and adders.' " 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



255 



''It is time such ringing utterances were given to the world, 
remarked the patriarch. "I have been long upon the earth, and 
with sorrow have seen Satan's activities in these matters.'' 

''Nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse the sin-stained 
robes that many of our youth wear because they have listened to 
the Devil's foul suggestions," added Determination. 

THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY 

Satan was in the City of Worldliness, giving his personal at- 
tention to the tainting of the minds of young men and women, 
as he threatened to do. Passing the church of which Minister 
Good was pastor, he stopped to read the appeal of the Society 
for the Suppression of Vice, which appeared upon the bulletin 
board by the church door. 

As he read the warning against the pestilence of impurity that 
was ravaging the city, his rage knew no bounds. 

''That old Evangelist is back of this awakening," he said to 
himself. "Curse him! I thought I had that Society lulled to 
sleep. Some new blood must have been infused into it. ' ' 

Snatching the notice from the board, Satan tore it into shreds 
which he cast, with an oath, into the street. Then he turned to 
find himself face to face with the Guardian Angel. 

Satan's doom is decreed 



Staying his course with an outstretched hand, she pointed her 



256 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



finger at him in scorn, while with words aglow with holy indig- 
nation and contempt she thus addressed him : 

"Thou art a coward! Thou dost not come forth into the light 
and appear in open combat with the hosts of the Lord; thou 
creepest along the slimy track of darkness and iniquity, and 
aimest to thwart righteousness and truth by thy base and sinis- 
ter tactics! Thou shalt not prosper! Thy doom is decreed of the 
Almighty One!" 

Lowering her hand, the Angel added: 

''Go! and be it remembered of thee, that through Him who 
died upon Calvary', thy diabolical thrusts at the heart of man- 
kind shall come to naught.'' 

''I once said our paths should lie vers^ much together," said 
Satan to himself, as he hurried off. ''Curse that Angel! Would 
that I might never behold her again, for she begets within me a 
sense of fear; and fear is the father of impotence." 

BUILDING OF CHARACTER 

As the Archfiend passed beyond my sight, the scene faded and 
my eyes closed in sleep. When I opened them again it was 
evening and I was looking upon a meeting at the mission where 
Miss Sincere and other true children of God had assembled a 
goodly number of youth from the poorer classes of the city. 

The meeting opened with song, and a great volume of child- 
voices rose toward Heaven as they sang: 



The Modern Devil. 

"'Halt!' the Angel cried. 

257 



'Ye cannot pass ! ' " 

See It. 260. 



RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



259 



"Jesus keep me near the Cross 
There's a precious fountain, 
Free to all a healing stream, 
Flows from Calvary's mountain." 

Looking around the room I could discern tlie form of the An- 
gel invisibly bending low in benediction upon the gathering. 

Then Evangelist spoke to the youth there assembled on the 
danger of ' ' running past the signals, ' ' and showed how Satan was 
endeavoring to get the boys and girls to transgress God's Law, 
and thus capture their souls. 

Emphasizing the love for truth and cleanness of living, he re- 
ferred to their peculiar temptations and told them that every 
day was a time when the building of character was going on and 
asked each child to follow the truths of God as taught by their 
teachers. 

The chorus of youthful voices rose again: 

"Build it well, what e'er you do, 
Build it straight, and strong and true, 
Build it high and clean and broad, 
Build it for the eye of God." 

Then with a prayer which the youngest present could under- 
stand the exercises closed. 

THE ANGEL WITH THE FLAMING SWORD 

While the patriarch was praying, T saw in my vision a strange 

15 — The Modern Devil. 



260 



RUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



sight in the Valley of the Cross beyond the hill on which stood 
the castle of the Archfiend. 

A company of Satan's most trusted workers hurried down from 
the castle toward the city, their purpose being to further attack 
its morals and so imperil immortal souls. 

They came onward with great confidence until they reached the 
spot where the Guardian Angel stood in the midst of the way 
with a flaming sword in her hand. 

' ' Halt ! ' ' she cried. ' ' Ye cannot pass ! ' ' and I saw the company 
fall back abashed at the sight and at her words. 

"Ye cannot pass!" she repeated. ''The Lord of Heaven hath 
decreed it!" 

AVitli bitter oaths they fell back among the shades of the silent 
hills. 

"It is the Angel," said one of the fiends. 

"An attempt to pass her will mean death," ventured another. 

"But we are under orders, ' ' said a third, ' ' and our Master must 
be obeyed. " , 

A spirit of determined vengeance burned as a fire in the eyes of 
the Angel, as the band of fiends essayed again to pass, only to fall 
back for the second time. They would have retreated to the 
castle had it not been for their leader who was daring in his pur- 
pose to carry out Satan's orders. 

Giving the Angel a defiant glance, he turned to his associates 
and shouted, "Forward!" at which command courage seemed to 
fire their veins, and in a body they rushed on. 

It was then that I saw the Guardian Angel become the Aveng- 



EUNNING PAST THE SIGNALS 



261 



ing Angel, and grasping firmly the liilt of her sword, her per- 
son changed to a shining blaze of marvelous light. 

She was valiant for the fray. Rushing into the midst of the 
fiends, she slew them, one by one, and hurled their vile bodies into 
the ravine, that they might not offend the eyes of men. 

Then as she stood upon the edge of the cliff, surrounded by 
gnarled olive trees, I saw by the light of the moon which bathed 
her face in holy light, that her eyes were directed toward the 
Hill of Calvary, which lay but a little distance eastward beyond 
the Valley of the Cross. Listening, I heard her voice break the 
silence of the night. 

'Therefore, saith the Lord of hosts; the mighty one of Israel 
I will ease me of mine adversaries, I will avenge me of mine ene- 
mies!' '' 



CHAPTEE XII 



The Broken Cogs 

"Evil thoughts are worse enemies than lions and tigers, for we can 
get out of the way of wild beasts. Keep your heads and hearts full of 
good thoughts, that bad thoughts may not find room." 

— Sooy. 

TT^ ^ succeed in placing the wrong persons in office, 
I from tlie minister down to the sexton," said Satan to 
one of his trusted assistants, ''the church question, so 
far as I am concerned, will be very nearly solved." 

They had been going over the list of Christian churches to- 
gether, and had made a record of the strong and weak ones. The 
church of which Minister Good was pastor was under considera- 
tion at this time, and the Archfiend realized the difficulty of get- 
ting a foothold there under the present management. 

"We certainly broke a cog or two in their machinery in the 
row they had with Hypocrite," said the assistant. 

"Yes, it was quite a serious matter at the time, but they have 
mended them, and everything now appears to be moving along 

without friction, ' ' answered His Majesty. 
262 



THE BROKEN COGS 



263 



''I can tell you how to breed ill-feeling, and often dissension, 
in the church, ' ' ventured the fiend. 

''If you can furnish me with a practical idea upon which I can 
work," replied Satan, ''you shall be well rewarded. What is 
vonr plan ? * ' 

A NEW WAY TO BREED DISSENSION 

"elust this," said his assistant. "The minister, the choir, and 
the sexton are the only ones to whom salaries are paid. Pick out 
some of the others — the clerks and treasurers, for instance, and 
have salaries voted them. ' ' 

"What would happen then!" asked Satan. 

"Happen!" returned the fiend, "a great deal would happen. 
Why, there would be a dozen candidates for each office, ready and 
willing to do any kind of back-biting and dirty electioneering in 
order to gain the offices and so enjoy the salaries." 

"That idea strikes me quite favorably," said Satan, "and we 
will try it. My experience has been that the prospect of handling 
a few dirty dollars will often make a mean man out of a fairly 
good one." 

"We did some good work in the Church of the Eedeemer at 
Longshore," again ventured the assistant. 

' ' Yes, we had things running according to our own ideas, until 
Evangelist and his company broke in upon us," said Satan. 

"That 's a fine church, but it 's not in condition to hinder us 
much," was the reply. 

"No, not as long as Mr. Please-all is in charge, and Man-of-the- 
World is a prominent officer," responded the Archfiend. 



264 



THE BROKEN COGS 



''What of Mr. Hypocrite? AYe can depend upon liim surely, 
and eveiy man of liis stripe helps our cause," said the fiend. 

' ' I have rather lost faith in him, ' ' Satan replied. ' ' He has left 
me in the lurch several times of late, and excused himself in an 
ambiguous manner. I don't trust him as I used to do." 

' ' But we cannot afford to lose him. ' ' 

"That 's true," replied Satan thoughtfully. 

SATAN GOES ON A JOURNEY 

I then saw in my dream that Satan was making preparations 
for a long journey; and learned that he was about to start on an 
extended tour, visiting the churches of the earth for the purpose 
of hindering their work and minimizing their influence. 

' ' See that our plans are carried out during my absence, ' ' were 
his last orders, ''and leave no stone unturned to defeat the 
Church of Christ; for it is to-day, our most gigantic foe. Ob- 
serA^e secrecy in all your moves, and so instruct the rest of our 
hosts." 

"I shall diligently execute your orders," answered the gov- 
ernor of the castle. 

I looked again and the Archfiend, with his attendant demon 
had vanished. 

Then my thoughts flashed back through the centuries. For two 
thousand years summer had spread its fair arms over the earth; 
two thousand times brown autumn had painted it her russet hue; 
two thousand times the snows of winter had whitened plain and 



THE BROKEN COGS 



265 



wood; two thousand times birds had built their nests as woods 
grew green again. 

Through all these years, and more maybe— for to whom has it 
been given to say when these things began 1 the Antagonist had 
untiringly plotted for the souls of men. Then I asked, ''For how 
long Satan should have liberty to defy the laws of God? Even 
now, he has changed his fomi and will doubtless girdle the globe, 
deceiving the chosen of God as he goes." 

ONLY A THORN IN THE SIDE 

' 'Think not so, my child, ' ' said the Guardian Angel, who, stand- 
ing invisible had read my thoughts. ''The Gates of Hell shall 
not prevail against the Church of Christ. 

"The Holy Spirit whom thou hast never seen with the eye of 
flesh is everywhere present, and to Him has been committed the 
care and keeping of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

"The journey of Satan shall prove but a thorn in the side of 
the church; its wound shall soon heal, and this devilish fusillade 
shall but arouse the hosts of the Almighty to more vigorous com- 
bat. The Lord shall laugh at the Archfiend's efforts, for He 
seeth that his day is coming." 

"Thou speakest comforting words," I replied. 

"Words that shall have a great fulfillment in the achievement 
of this glorious age, ' ' replied the Angel. ' ' I must be gone now, ' ' 
she added, "but I shall see thee again." 

' ' Whither lies thy journey ? " I asked. 



266 



THE BEOKEN COGS 



''To and fro upon the earth, that I may help in the defense of 
the Lord of Zion against the Devil, by revealing his designs. ' ^ 
''Dost thou know them, thenr' 

"Yes," she replied, "I saw them written upon the scroll in 
his hands, as he addressed his helpers." 

"Dear Church of the Saviour, no weapon found against thee 
shall prosper," were the words of God that came into my 
thoughts, as the Angel disappeared from my sight. 

In my dream I saw much of the visitation of Satan upon the 
churches and noted that his favorite method of approach was in 
the guise of. men in whose hearts he had become a silent incar- 
nation. 

SATAN VISITS THE CONFERENCES 

Thus the Archfiend sought to sow the seeds of discord, and to 
inject his poison into ecclesiastical bodies. He never failed to 
attend congregational meetings, and with studied design sought 
to elect to office those whose policy should incite friction in 
church government. 

Then, through the insistence of his dupes he was able to en- 
courage ponderous and unwieldy church machinery; and to insist 
upon matters, which, as a rule, were not feasible, or for the high- 
er spiritual welfare of the churches. 

At one time I saw him in attendance upon the session of a 
large church, where the congregation were in the act of calling a 
minister; and noted that he urged the members to insist upon the 
selection of a man whose theological beliefs were unsound. 



THE BEOI^N COaS 



267 



^^It would not be wise for tlie clmrcli to issue this call," said 
an aged man, who I learned had been an officer in the church for 
many years. ''The essentials of the man to be called to this 
church must be that he is sound in the faith, and that he be 
'thoroughly furnished of God unto every good work.' " 

SATAN IN A CHURCH MEETING 

Satan, bending over a trio of his dupes, whispered, "Urge the 
case. This old man is out of touch with his times. The minister 
in question is up-to-date in all the learning and philosophy of the 
age. Push his name." 

In turn the trio arose to address the meeting, while Satan, with 
gTinning countenance, sat back of them and encouraged their 
efforts. 

Then a dozen others were on their feet at once, and it became 
evident that much bitter feeling existed; and that, unless it was 
checked, harmful dissension would follow. 

The Archfiend smiled with great satisfaction as he saw the 
state of affairs. 

It was then, in my vision, that I saw the Good Angel move 
among the loyal hearts of the church, and, as I noted her plead- 
ing, a spirit of peace returned to this body of Christians, as 
though the Christ Himself had touched the turbulent waters, and 
whispered His calming words. 

Satan felt the changed feeling and turned a scrutinizing gaze in 
every direction to note the cause. Then he discerned the presence 
of the Angel and was seized with inward rage. 



268 



THE BEOKEN COGS 



''AVhat! Is she liere?" lie gasped to himself. ''How has she 
divined my plan and purpose? Shall I ever succeed in eluding 
her eyes?" and he sighed as though already suffering the pangs 
of defeat. 

As the Angel bent with hands extended, over the people, she 
seemed to be pleading before the very Throne of Heaven, that 
the mind of the Master might rule in their hearts, and that His 
will migiit be done. 

THE WORK OF RECOXCILIATIOX 

Then it was that I saw one rise in the meeting whose name was 
Eeconciliation. 

'' 'Blessed are the peacemakers,' said I in my soul, 'For they 
shall be called the children of God.' " 

Her face was enshrined in a glory which must have been a re- 
flection from His, into which it was her habit to look constantly. 

As she stood before the people, bewilderment and confusion 
seized the ranks of the Archfiend; as though the Almighty Him- 
self had stricken them with His piercing arrows, while to Eecon- 
ciliation. there was given, at that moment, an eye of discernment 
which recognized the Devi] where lie sat ; then with finger pointed 
directly at him, she revealed his diabolical presence. 

A prayer which found its answer in the peace of God which 
was now shed abroad in the hearts of the congregation, then fell 
from her lips; and when she had prayed she said: 

"He is gone. Let us now conduct this business with the mind 
of Christ, and may His will be done. ' ' As the meeting closed with 



THE BEOKEN COGS 



269 



the Master's tliouglit accomplished, I heard the clear voice of 
Reconciliation leading in the parting hymn of praise. 

The Archfiend had fled in dismay, for the Gospel of Deliver- 
ance had again discomfited his hosts, and achieved for Christ's 
children, a victory over their direst foe. 

''The work of the Devil in this world is growing harder and 
harder," said Satan to himself, as he went his rounds, and heard 
the voice of prayer and praise at each point where he had pro- 
posed to undo the work of God. 

SATAN SUMMONS HERESY 

Now, in my vision, the Angel revealed to me where Satan had 
betaken himself, and in a cave deep in the earth, I saw the Arch- 
fiend seated, while about him were gathered a score or more of his 
helpers whom he had sumanoned to aid in his work of church de- 
molition. 

He was seated in the midst of his band and the light from 
quantities of burning fagots threw over them a ruddy glare, and 
outlined their forms in ghastly shadows upon the walls. 

"Haste thee to the castle," commanded Satan, indicating one 

of the fiends, ''and summon " but I failed to catch the name 

of the demon he mentioned. 

"Let no time be lost, for this work demands a more vigorous 
onslaught. I will meet him here," he continued. 

The messenger departed, and seemingly in an instant, I saw re- 
turn with him, a person of scarred visage who had evidently seen 
much of religious warfare. 



270 



THE BROKEN COGS 



^'Sit down Heresy," said the Archfiend, unceremoniously. 
Heresy obeyed and they were soon in earnest deliberation. 
"Who is this?" I inquired of the Angel who remained at my 
side. 

"This is Satan's most trusted warrior; and one upon whom for 
centuries he has thrust the responsibility of dismembering the 
Church of God. " 

HERESY IS A GRIEVOUS FOE OF THE CHURCH 

"His scars show much severe fighting," I replied. 

"He has conducted the battles of the ages against truth, and 
has won many to his side from the ranks of God," answered the 
Angel. 

"Are these battles notable in tlie history of the Church!" I 
asked. 

"Yes, thousands of the saints have died for the truth. This 
fiend contended with the Early Church, and in resisting him, 
countless numbers gave up their lives for the sake of Christ and 
His message." 

"Is Heresy busy in these times! " I inquired. 

"Yes, very bus}^" replied the Angel. 

"What are his methods?" I further inquired, "and where 
does he work ? ' ' 

"He works wherever Christ's truths are taught and believed," 
responded the Angel. "It is his direct office to sow the seed of 
doubt within the fields of faith; and to cast around men the 
glamour of new theologies." 



THE BROKEN COGS 



271 



THE IMPERFECTIONS OF CHURCH MEMBERS 

As Satan sent forth his band, it Avas with explicit instructions 
that they compass every Christian land, and disseminate all 
species of error, and especially to call the attention of the 
worldly classes to the imperfections of church members. 

''Pick all the flaws you can, and never cease to publish re- 
ports of every church trouble you hear of. Have them put into 
the papers under glaring headlines. A gemi of fact can be ex- 
tended to an interesting column if you use a trifle of imagina- 
tion, ' ' commanded the Archfiend, as he sent them forth and then 
retired to the cave. 

HERESY ASKS QUESTIONS 

''What course would we best pursue?'' inquired Satan of 
Heresy. "How appear the signs of the times to you." 

"What 's been your line of procedure in this campaign!" in- 
quired Heresy by way of reply. 

"To minimize the zeal of the churches by the introduction of 
unwieldy methods; to appear interested in all religious work, 
but insist upon emphasizing the form rather than the essentials. 
Then, too, as side issues I 've secretly scattered doubt amid the 
truth, and endeavored to get every energetic David into Goliath's 
armor. ' ' 

"Hast thou succeeded by such efforts!" asked Heresy. 
"Well, not as I hoped. I 've gained a point here and there by 



272 



THE BROI^N COGS 



inducing the clergy to trust in my methods, and by inducing them 
to ride some pet hobby, wliich in time is sure to tlirow them, but 
nowadays, tliey seem sliy of a pastoral autocracy and claim to 
be living by the rule of Him they call Master, ' ' replied Satan. 

THE BIBLE MUST BE ATTACKED 

"Some of our old tactics may still be worked to advantage," 
asserted Heresy. 

"What tactics do you refer to?" asked Satan. 
"Attacking the Christians' Book." 
' ' The Bible ? ' ' inquired the Archfiend. 
"Yes, their Bible." 

' ' That 's too solidly set in their hearts and minds to be rid- 
dled at this late day. They live by its commandments, and seek 
its counsels in trouble. I do not think favorably of that plan," 
rejoined Satan. 

"You can twist and snarl the church machinery by disputing 
the teachings of this book and by dismembering it, more than by 
any other means," said Heresy consolingly. "Let us bend our 
united energies towards confusing the faith of Christians in their 
old book," added the tiend. 

"On second thought that appeals to me with great force," re- 
plied Satan, and as the flames from the fagots died down into 
darkness^ I saw the two vanish from my sight. 



THE BEOIvEX COGS 



273 



A HOST OF CELESTIAL ONES ARE NEAR 

Then my vision ciianged. and I saw Mr. Man-of-tlie-AVorld and 
Mr. Hypocrite in company with a wise appearing man wliom I 
learned was a Professor Pliilosopliy. 

He knew the liooks and crooivs of rationalism in all its devious 
ramifications, and spoke with enticing wisdom concerning the 
exploits of new faiths in these latter days. 

As he opened a volume which he had recently written. I saw 
upon the title page the name of him who had written the book 
which Mr. Hypocrite, at the Devil's suggestion, had once given to 
Miss Sincere in the hope of liberalizing her simple faith. He 
spoke glibly of the side lights recently discovered by modern in- 
vestigation and science, which had somewhat changed the land 
marks of historic faith. 

PROFESSOR PHILOSOPHY EXPLAINS 

"Our strides have made obsolete many forms of thought, and 
have lighted the way to a simpler religion which finds its source 
and inspiration in man's reason, ' ' said he. 

''Is this new?' - inquired Hypocrite with apparent interest. 

As they were discussing the new form of religion, Evangelist 
drew near, and was introduced to Prof. Philosophy. 

''We have been hearing of the Professor's new book," ex- 
plained Hypocrite to the prophet. 

"What book is this?" inquired Evangelist. 

"The Foundation of Faith, as Deduced from Reason," an- 
swered Philosophy. 



274 



TPIE BROIvEN COGS 



"The results of the most recent research and investigation/' 
explained Man-of-tlie-World. 

' ' What investigation and inquiry does this refer to T ' asked the 
prophet. 

"To matters pertaining to the latest discoveries concerning 
the Bible and questions of faith, ' ' answered the Professor. 

"Ah," replied Evangelist, "I see thou hast gotten this new 
revelation from human sources; from man's inner consciousness." 

"From the shrine w^here God speaks. Man carries the testi- 
mony of God, and gathers the record of its truth by the processes 
of reason — the summing-up of experience," answered the Pro- 
fessor. 

NARROW REASON ON HER DOUBTFUL THRONE 

"Thou art a disciple of threshed-out formulas. Thy teaching, 
presumably new, is but an old fad revived. Many times in my 
long life have I seen its resurrection and speedy death. What 
thou gathereth from reason, by which little taper thou dost pre- 
sume to interpret and dismember God's Holy Word, does not sat- 
isfy the need and cravings of the human heart. Thou art but one 
of a sad company, who take the bread from the children's 
mouths, and hast no means at hand by which to satisfy their 
piteous cry of hunger," said Evangelist in unsparing resentment 

"Thou dost not quite understand the truth of the new teach- 
ings, I fear," replied the Professor by way of apology. 

"Yes, I do understand, and I have seen the sorrowful plight of 




276 



>SV<' p. 267. 



THE BEOKEN COGS 



277 



hundreds who have been taught to sail by this false compass; 
and I have rescued them in times of shipwreck. 

"Ah, yes I know," added the gray prophet, as the light of in- 
dignation flashed from his eyes. "Yes, I know, for I have 
weighed their sorrow after that faith had been despoiled." 

"Thou art prejudiced against our cult," replied Philosophy. 
"We have but gathered the pure wheat of truth from the chaff in 
which for centuries it has been imbedded. ' ' 

FALSE TEACHING IS CONTEMPTIBLE 

"Nay, nay," replied Evangelist in tones of contempt for the 
false teaching. "Thou hast not winnowed the wheat. Thou hast 
but raked over the cold ashes of man's finite knowledge and hast 
gathered naught for the yearnings of the soul, but the hard cin- 
ders of an unsatisfying dogma. The troubled life of man yet 
reaches forth everywhere for the bread of life, which the Christ 
delivered with pierced hands on Calvary; and the soul of man, 
after intellect has taxed its powers, reaches up for spiritual suste- 
nance to the Lamb of God. ' ' 

' ' Our discussion is to no jjurpose ; for thou clingest to the old 
faith, ' ' answered the professor with a sense of discomfiture. 

"The old faith! Yes! the precious old faith, on which the 
human race must pillow its head for true rest. The universal cry 
of the human heart, is, 'to whom else shall we go, for Thou hast 
the words of eternal life. ' " • 

1 6 — The Modern Devil. 



278 



THE BROKEN COGS 



THE SIMPLE TRUTHS OF THE BLESSED BOOK 

As niglit gathered round, I saw Evangelist and Determination 
in the home of Miss Sincere, and shortly these workers for the 
Master were joined by Minister Good. 

"And what report bearest thou from the churches eagerly 
inquired the old prophet, of the minister who had just returned 
from a conference. 

' ' Good news concerning growth and power wherever the name 
of Jesus is being proclaimed, ' ' was the reply. 

"Yes," added Determination, "Satan's purpose to discomfit 
Zion has failed. The signs of God's promise are ever^^where ap- 
pearing and there shall be showers of blessing wherever the truth 
is sown." 

HOW MANY ATTEND CHURCH ? 

" 'Zion shall be saved. Mark ye well her bulwarks, consider 
her palaces; that ye may tell it to the generation following, for 
this God is our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even 
to death,' " rejoined Evangelist. 

"It is the generation following," said Minister Good, "that 
is continually before me. ' ' 

"I have here, statistics," he went on, "which inform us that 
out of millions of young men, only one-fourth of them attend 
church; only five out of every hundred are church members; and 
but three of the five are active in church work. 



THE BEOKEN COGS 



279 



'*It was probably this set of figures, or one like it, that caused 
a brother clergynian to say during an address to a college audi- 
ence : 

'Just as childhood is so assailed by infantile diseases and 
mishaps that it is surprising to see a child grow up ; so youth is 
assailed with so many sins that it is surprising to see any young 
man grow up untarnished. ^ " 

THERE IS WORK TO DO 

' ' Whether the figures are correct or not, I do not know, ^ ' said 
Determination. "If they are correct, we have plenty of work to 
do, right at our hand. 

"I do not agree, however, with the spirit of the address," he 
continued, "for I think the normal young man is religiously in- 
clined. ' ' 

"No one can deny," rejoined Minister Good, "that there are 
plenty of temptations to evil, but, are there not more tempta- 
tions to right doing?" 

"Paul said: 'I write unto you, young men, because you are 
strong.' Paul had a great many opportunities to learn what 
young men could do and could not do. Let us believe that he 
knew what he was talking about, ' ' said Evangelist. 

' ' We must get hold of the young men in some way, ' ' said Min- 
ister Good, with great earnestness. "We have so much to tell 
them and there are so many of them, that we must get about our 
Father's business at once. 



280 THE BEOKEN COGS 

TRUTH IS NOT AT THE BOTTOM OF A WELL 

''They have been taught/' he went on, ''when they have been 
taught at all, that Truth lies at the bottom of a well. We must 
tell them that neither there nor on heights that must be scaled 
with bleeding hands is Truth to be found, but right where they 
can put out their hands and touch it. We must tell them that to 
acknowledge God is good sense, and that to serve Him is wis- 
dom.'' 

"We must tell them of Jesus, the Wayshower," Determination 
added, ' ' ' tempted as we are, ' and yet without a taint of evil in all 
His years. ' ' 

"If they ask you for proof," said Evangelist, "remember that 
Jesus said, 'which of you convicteth me of sin.' 

' ' There was honest Peter, ' ' continued the prophet. ' ' He had to 
say that his Lord was not as other men. 

"Judas would have been glad of any excuse to betray Jesus, 
but could not recall an act that would even help to justify him. 

"Jesus' own brother, a man who judged Him by the severest 
standards, could find no fault in Him. 

"Pilate called for water and washed his hands, saying: 'I find 
no fault in Him.' And there is Jesus Himself, with no sense of 
sin, no penitence, no prayer for forgiveness, no need of a Re- 
deemer. ' ' 

"Why not say to men, young and old," cried Determination, 
while his eyes shone with a desire for souls, "why not say to 
them, we are in a ' trust, ' wider and deeper in its scope than the 



THE BROKEN COGS 



281 



brain of man could devise — a trust that teaches men to think 
rightly and to live rightly. 

• 'It is a combine for the better performance of the great work 
Jesus committed to our care, with directions for its performance 
that could not be plainer; and you can join it. 

''It is breaking down the walls of separation that man has for 
years been building between God and himself; and all the rhetoric 
that may be directed against it cannot halt its progress." 

"If we tell them this," said Minister Good, "they will join 
us. Andrew went out and got his brother. We must get ours." 



CHAPTER XIII 



The Devil's Laboratory 

"No sooner is a temple built to God, 
But the Devil builds a chapel hard by." 

— George Herbert. 

"In short, if you d)on''t live up to the precepts of the gospel, but 
abandon yourselves to your irregular appetites, you must expect to 
receive your reward in a certain place, which it 's not good manners 
to mention here." 

— Brown's "Laconics." 

IN my vision, my mind dwelt long upon the foolish pageantry 
of wealth and power, the senseless struggle for precedence 
of place, which I had witnessed in that great Babylon, the 
City of Worldliness. Envy and jealousy, which had tortured 
men's hearts for twelve thousand written years, now seemed to 
have made them mad. 

Then a great longing seized me. Good fortune and success 
might pass me by, but, that I might share it with mankind, I 
would know the source and mystery of these twin poisons. Then 
I would be wiser far 

"Than those who thrash their barren thought 
With flails of knowledge dearly bought." 

282 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



285 



I prayed that it might be said of me: 

"His soul saw through the weary years — 
Past war bells' chimes and poor men's tears — 

That day when time shall bring to birth 
(By many a heart whose hope seems vain, 
And many a fight where love slays pain) 

True freedom come to reign on earth." 

As I prayed, my vision cleared and I saw Satan in the labora- 
tory of his castle home. 

He was in an apartment on the upper floor. Light streamed 
through many windows upon lines of retorts from which were 
steadily dropping into huge receptacles green liquors of varying 
shades. Bottles labeled Envy or Jealousy were piled conven- 
iently near, and, at a word from the Archfiend, a small army of 
assistants filled them from the vessels he indicated. 

SATAN MIXES HIS OWN POISONS 

I marvelled somewhat that Satan allowed no one but himself to 
mix the poisons that fed the retorts, but now^, as at other times 
in my dream, there came to me what I would know. It was as 
though one standing by my side had whispered: 

"Since time was, he has suffered no hands but his own to mix 
his death-dealing potions." 

As my eyes swept around the room, they now rested upon those 
who were making up the poisons for shipment. Each package 
contained one bottle of Envy and one of Jealousy, and bore the 
name of the person who was to receive it, and the destination as 
well. 



286 



THE DEVIL'S LABOEATOEY 



Then I heard Satan say, as he picked np a bottle labelled Envy, 
''A little of this will poison any heart, and no one knows what 
ends it may achieve. But," he continued, taking* up another bot- 
tle, with Jealousy upon the label, ' ' used together, these can neu- 
tralize more Christian virtues than any decoctions I have ever 
brewed. Cain was the first to take them, and from his time to the 
present day, they have never failed me. " 

THE THOUGHTS OF CHRISTIANS MUST BE POISONED 

Turning to a group of fiends who stood apart from the work- 
men, Satan said: 

' ' It is time to be about your work ! In some way you must get 
these drops into the hearts of Christians, and it behooves you to 
administer them with the utmost care, else they will be refused. 

''Never mention my name in connection with your work,'' he 
went on. "Watch for opportunities, and when people are admir- 
ing the blessings and possessions of others, inject these poisons 
into their hearts. 

''This will create a longing for the things they see, and that 
longing will grow into a wish, and with the wish a spirit of envy, 
and envy, when it hath conceived, shall give birth to jea,^ ^usy," 
he explained. 

"Your orders shall be obeyed," the leader of the band an- 
swered, and silently they went out upon their unholy mission. 

As I wondered if there were any to give warning to the children 
of men, I was taken, still in my vision, to the home of Widow 
Faith. 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



287 



^And the Angel of his presence saved them,' " said Widow 
Faith as she sat in her modest liome. Sacrifice on every hand at- 
tended her path, and her dejorivations in life were accentuated 
in view of the fact that her younger days had been spent in afflu- 
ence and comfort. 

Satan's emissary visits the widow's home 

She had that day especially noted the plentitude of the rich, 
and was longing that her children might have more of the lux- 
uries of life. A spirit which approached resentment, arose un- 
bidden in her heart, and she sought to smother it. 

''I must not suffer these thoughts to thus engage my mind," 
she said to herself. ' ' Envy and covetousness are not the marks 
of a Christian." 

She sat for a moment in silence, as the tears coursed down her 
face, and fell upon her little child asleep in her arms. 

'^Father in Heaven give me a clean and murmurless spirit," 
she pleaded, "for Thou hast filled my life with good things." 

the fiend whispers a lie 

Then it was that one of the fiends whispered to her: "This is a 
false way by which to view life. Why should you suffer depriva- 
tions while others, less worthy, are having triple their share of 
good things?" 

She listened to the logic of the suggestion for a moment, not 
knowing from whence it came. 



288 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATOEY 



''Why should I and my children be deprived of what I need? 
Have I desei^^ed it? I 've tried hard all these years to walk in 
G od 's way, ' ' said she to herself. ' ' Oh, that I had — ' ' 

The fiend was preparing to inject the poison and would have 
succeeded had it not been for divine intervention. 

THE ANGEL BRINGS CONTENTMENT 

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be con- 
tent with such things as ye have," whispered the Good Angel, 
"for hath He not said, 'I will not leave thee, nor forsake thee?' " 

Widow Faith hesitated for a moment, and then arose. As she 
went to her task, it was with the content that the Angel had given, 
and she found herself saying: "Be not overcome of evil, but 
overcome evil with good. ' ' 

The Angel tarried in the house until the fiend with his hurtful 
poison had withdrawn, and as he left the home he had endeav- 
ored to harm, she heard him mutter: 

"I failed because of that Angel's whisper." 

"I would have sinned," said Widow Faith to herself, "had 
God not strengthened me by His words," and, looking up she 
breathed a prayer of thanksgiving, little knowing the contest that 
had been waged about her trusting soul. 

As the Angel turned to leave this home, I heard her say: 

"Dear Father, suffer not the Evil One to corrupt this heart 
with a spirit of envy. Keep her from the poison of this sin!" 

And the Lord answered, "I will keep her as the apple of mine 
eye." 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



291 



THE GOOD PROPHET SOLILOQUIZES 

As the scene faded from my view, I seemed to be near Evan- 
gelist, the servant of God, and to hear him say: 

^'For many years I have been upon the earth, and everywhere 
I have noted a marked disposition toward envy and jealousy. 

''There is a spirit which lusteth to envy," he went on, ''but 
this should not be among the children of the King. ' ' 

"Ah, this cometh not of God," he continued, "for God is love, 
and love envieth not. If there be bitter envying and strife in 
the heart, its source is not from above, but is earthly and sensual 
and devilish. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then 
peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and 
good fruits, without partiality, without hypocrisy. No, this spirit 
cometh not of the Lord. ' ' 

Then the prophet wended his way toward the city, and as the 
shades of evening gathered, his form was lost in the darkness, 
and in my dream I was alone. 

THE DEVIL SENDS OUT SLIMY SERPENTS 

Yet not alone for I was in the midst of a throng of people of 
every race. Moving among them were kindly appearing men and 
women with gracious countenances, and much pity was in their 
eyes. 

As I studied this strange aggregation of souls, I saw, here and 
there, paths along which the slimy serpents of the Enemy of man- 



292 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATOEY 



kind had wound their way through the mass of humanity, biting 
and stinging on either hand. 

I saw that their poison was in the veins of men and women, and 
beheld the marks their cruel fangs had made. I heard wails of 
pain and saw eyes glazing in death, while everywhere the agents 
of the Archfiend were offering as panaceas, potions brewed in the 
Castle of All Evil. 

The vision to me was a mysterj^ and my soul was moved with 
a powerless pity. 

^^What can it all mean?" I asked, as I strained my ear to catch 
some word which might hold the key, but in the murmur of 
sound that arose from the throng, not one word was heard which 
would solve the problem. 

THE ANGEL INTERPRETS THE VISION 

Then beside me I beheld the Angel of Ministry. 

''Pray dear Angel," said I, "what import hath this vision, and 
what are its teachings 1 ' ' 

"Child," she replied, "Thou art looking upon a scene such as 
few before thee have witnessed. Thou hast a world vision." 

"I need thy interpretation of all this," I replied, "for the finite 
mind is powerless. ' ' 

"This which thine eye doth behold represents an envenomed 
humanity, lost from God, whose hearts Satan's serpents have in- 
fected, ' ' said the Angel. 

"And remaineth there no hope for these!" I asked in great 
concern. 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



293 



^^Yes, there remaineth yet for them a hope, if they would but 
cling thereto," said she. 

''Where doth this hope lie!" I answered. 

THERE IS LIFE FOR A LOOK 

"In the Lamb of God, which came to take away the sins of the 
whole world," replied the Angel. 

"Who are the men and women with gracious countenances, 
whom I behold among this mass of wretchedness T ' I asked. 

' ' These are the servants of the Most High who have sacrificed 
home and friends in order to share and lift the burdens of these 
miserable ones," she answered. 

"Ministers of the precious Gospel?" I asked. 

"Yes, thou hast rightly guessed," said she. 

"W^hat are they seeking to do!" I asked again. 

THE MISSION OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD 

"These servants of the Most High, seek to point this sinning 
throng to the Cross, ' ' said the Angel, ' ' and their message is the 
old one of Jesus : — 

" 'And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even 
so hath the Son of Man been lifted up ; that whosoever believeth 
in Him should not perish but have everlasting life; for God sent 
not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the 
world through Him might be saved.' " 

"It is really, then, the voice of God crying in the wilderness of 



294 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



the age; it is He offering mercy and salvation, to the wounded 
and helpless," I added. 

''Thou hast rightly divined, my child. "It is the Good Shep- 
herd seeking to save, ' ' she replied. 

EVANGELIST IN THE MISSION SCHOOL 

Soon I seemed again in the great City of Worldliness, and in my 
vision I saw the good Evangelist in the mission school of Miss 
Sincere, where he was to address the children. 

The words of the prophet were concerning clean hearts, and he 
warned the children of the poisons of the Wicked One, naming 
especially those of envy, hatred and jealousy. 

"The Enemy is seeking for little hearts like yours, children, 
into which to put his poison, ' ' he said. ' ' Beware ! Oh, beware of 
him!" 

"I thank you, kind Evangelist, for your timely message of 
to-day, ' ' said Miss Sincere to the old prophet, as they journeyed 
homeward. 

"We must train the little ones to despise the blighting poisons 
of the Devil, ' ' answered the jDrophet. ' ' God bless our labors this 
day." 

' ' He will bless them surely, ' ' said Miss Sincere, in reply. 

THE POISON FIENDS TELL THEIR STORY 

The Angel in thousands of instances had counteracted the poi- 
son of Envy and Jealousy; and the Devil's scheme to taint the 
souls of men with baneful poisons was now well known abroad. 



THE DEVIL'S LABOEATOEY 



295 



In consequence a great number were rendered proof against his 
subtlety. 

As the fiends to whom the poison liad been entrusted were re- 
turning to the castle, I saw that tliey were much dejected in spirit 
and reluctant to appear before their master, because of their ill 
success. Soon they entered the dense shrubbery for conference, 
and as a result agreed to cover their failure, as far as possible, 
with a lie. 

''We have given these poisons a fair trial," said one. 
"TVe certainly have," added another. 

"It is no fault of ours if people refuse to take them," said a 
third. 

"His Majesty must be reasonable in this matter. ' ' said a fourth. 
Then they set out for the castle with hesitating steps, and Sa- 
tan met them at the gate. 

"AVhat have you to report?" he gruffly asked. 
"Rather poor success," answered the foremost one. 
"AVhat?" ejaculated Satan angrily. 

"It is not our fault," ventured another. "We gave the poi- 
sons a fair test, but the people refused to take them." 
"By whose advice?" inciuired Satan. 

"The Angel, and one known as Evangelist, opposed them vig- 
orously, ' ' was the reply. 

SATAN CALLS UPON HIS RESERVE STAFF 

Satan, disgusted, hurried back to the castle, with the poison 
fiends following him at a safe distance. Soon, however, he ap- 



296 



THE DEVIL'S LABOEATOEY 



peared with one who was a stranger to me. This stranger was one 
of the reserve staff, known as Fault-finder. 

''Thou hast the art of discouraging Christians, and of breeding 
dissension among them,'' said Satan with an air of seductive 
flattery. "The poisons have failed through the interference of 
Evangelist and the Angel, and you must now ply your art." 

"I shall go at thy bidding," said Fault-tinder, "and do all 
within my power to set them at variance with each other," and 
with this he moved down the narrow path to the highway, while 
Satan retired within the walls of the castle and was lost from 
sight. 

THE ANGEL WARNS EVANGELIST 

^ ^ Suffer not this blighting agent of Satan to ensnare the souls 
of the people," the Angel said to Evangelist. "Such as follow 
him learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and 
not only idle, but tattlers also, and busybodies, speaking things 
they ought not. Go forth to conquer in the name of the Lord, 
and I shall attend thy efforts. ' ' 

"1 shall obey thee," rejoined the prophet, and went forth as 
one who was conffdent of victory. 

FAULT-FINDER GOES ABOUT HIS WORK 

Fault-finder's first visit was to Mr. Man-of-the-World, but that 
wily politician refused to have anything to do with him. "It will 
be detrimental to my business," he told the fiend in reply to his 
solicitations. 



The Modern Devil. Copyright, 190S, hij W. W. Houston 

"Vile and grotesque beasts lifted their slimy heads." 



297 



Seep SOU. 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATOEY 



299 



Hypocrite, too. was suspicions of Fault-finder, and. taught by 
past experience, declined to further any plan of Satan or assist 
this agent of his. 

After Fault-finder had visited a number of churches and homes, 
only to learn that Evangelist and the Angel had anticipated him 
and prepared the hearts of men to resist his seductive sugges- 
tions, his spirit became dejected. 

'''My art has been successfullly plied for centuries,'' he said to 
himself, "but I have never met such resistance before. Even 
with those into whose veins envy and jealousy have been injected, 
I have been unsuccessful. The world is changing." 

Pondering upon his failures. I saw that Fault-finder was in 
great straits, and being at his wit's end. at last he determined to 
return to the castle and suffer the consequences of his failure. 
''I am not going to have a pleasant meeting with Satan," said he, 
as his brawny frame shook with fear. 

THE PANACEA OF LOVE 

VThile Fault-finder had been endeavoring to fulfill his instrac- 
tions from the Archfiend. ^\Vhole-Soul and Reconciliation had 
been to the Cross, and returned with gTeat rejoicing, having with 
them a panacea called LOVE, which they had obtained by the 
grace of God. A A^oice from Heaven had spoken to them and 
said : 

''Love suffereth long and is kind: love envietli not: love vaunt- 
eth not itself, is not puffed up. doth not behave itself unseemly; 
seeketh not her own. is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil." 

17 — The Modern Devil. 



300 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



Evangelist and Minister Good were in conversation as Wliole- 
Soul and Reconciliation met them. 

LOVE IS THE ANTIDOTE FOR ENVY 

^^What is your good news, children!" asked the prophet. 

''The King hath entrusted to ns an antidote for the pains of 
envy and kindred ills, ' ' they replied. 

''By what name is it known!" asked Evangelist. 

' ' The Panacea of Love, ' ' said Reconciliation. 

"We discovered it by the Cross," explained Whole-Soul. 

"And the Lord bade us dispense it as we had opportunity," ex- 
plained Reconciliation. 

"Love is the most wonderful solvent," declared the prophet. 
' ' Love is the antidote for all venom. Thou hast a goodly remedy, 
my children. Go forth and dispense it in the name of the Lord, 
and may His peace be upon thee. ' ' 

MALICE AND ENVY CAN BE CURED 

Then I saw that Whole-Soul and Reconciliation in the name of 
their God, went forth to cure, through love, the taint of malice 
and envy which Satan and his agents had lodged in mankind. 

"It shall be well with them," added the Angel, who had joined 
the prophet and the minister, "for they have the Lord's remedy, 
and love is as strong as death. 

' ' ' Many waters cannot quench love, neither can waters drown 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 301 

it; if a man should give all the substance of his house for love 
it would be utterly contemned. " 

DETERMINATION PLANS A SURPRISE 

As the two, bearing the precious panacea, passed out of sight, 
the remainder of the company vanished likewise, and while I 
meditated with closed eyes upon what I had seen and heard, T was 
borne through the air for a moment and then gently let down 
upon the ground. I opened my eyes, and saw that I was standing 
where I, myself unseen, could see the spot where the foot-path 
from Satan's Castle touched the highway which led to the city. 
There, in hiding, was a company of stalwart youths, and their 
leader was no other than the valiant Determination. 

"Think you we shall succeed"?" one of the company asked him. 

"We can do all things through Christ who strengthened us," 
he replied. 

SATAN's FIENDS APPROACH WITH STEALTHY TREAD 

Then I saw the band make ready for a vigorous attack, for com- 
ing down the foot-path from the Castle, with stealthy tread, were 
a company of Satan's fiends, each bearing a load of deadly poi- 
sons. They had been sent by the Archtiend with instructions to 
bear it secretly by night to certain of his agents who were to dis- 
tribute it. 

"I wil try the children of man again with the poisons," Satan 
had said, "for I may catch them asleep." 
Down the steep incline of the foot-path came the noiseless fiends 



302 



THE DEVIL'S LABOEATOEY 



bearing the venom. Not a suspicion of danger lurked in their 
thougiits, and as they came to the thorouglifare they laid down 
their burdens and heaved sighs of relief. 

"The worst of the journey is over," said one, with an air of 
delight. 

''It is a hard path to travel; and our task requires steady 
nerves," added a second. 

THE SWORD OF THE LORD AND OF GIDEON 

Then, at a signal from Determination, his company rushed for- 
ward with a shout, and fell upon the band of fiends, who, seized 
by fear, rushed back up the dark path toward the Castle, offering 
no resistance. 

''The Lord is with us," said Detennination. 

"Yes, as with Gideon of old," added one of his band. 

Before the fiends ventured to return, Determination and his 
assistants had destroyed the vessels in which the poison was car- 
ried and the vile decoctions ran out upon the path, and were 
swallowed up by the earth. 

"Xow that we have destroyed this deadly poison, who can 
tell how many souls we have saved from the curse of its venom!" 
said Determination. "Let us be gone, for our purpose is accom- 
plished," and by the light of the stars, I saw them cross the hill 
toward the city. 

"It is a glorious triumph," said Evangelist, as Determination 
related the victory. "Thou hast done valiantly and thy reward 
shall be great." 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATOEY 303 



^^I did it not for reward," replied Determination. 

''Thou didst it for the King, and for the salvation of man 
They who contend with such purposes shall be blest, ' ' replied the 
prophet. 

THE HAPLESS FIENDS ARE INCARCERATED 

Satan's fury was unquenchable upon learning of Determina- 
tion's exploit, and he immediately incarcerated the band from 
whom the poisons were taken in a vile dungeon, and from their 
prison I heard horrible waitings and gnashings of teeth. 

"Fools ! This shall be their lesson, neither shall they come forth 
to the light until their cursed fears are burned from their souls, ' ' 
said the Archfiend, as he made the door secure by turning the 
ponderous key. 

"There!" continued he, still in violent passion. "Let them 
suffer for their cowardice ! ' ' 

ANOTHER OF SATAN's PLANS IS RUINED 

Then I beheld Satan retire to a room in the Castle and open 
a great book which lay upon the table. He scanned the pages 
carefully, after whch he closed it angrily, and pushing it aside 
said to his attendant : 

"By their bungling work those cowards have rained one of my 
most cherished plans. ' ' 

"Cannot you commission more reliable ones to do such work?" 
asked the attendant. 

"More reliable! Those were the choicest and most trasted of 



304 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



my force. It 's getting to be a problem to know who can be re^ 
lied upon, ' ' Satan answered with disgust, and as the vision faded, 
I last saw him on a bench in a corner of the room with his eyes 
resting npon the floor absorbed in meditation. 

Then, in my dream, I beheld the Angel pass over Calvary, and 
learned that her mission was to be a long journey among the sons 
of men. 

' ' For what purpose ? " I inquired. 

''She hath gone to give unto men the 'touch of love,' and to 
further the blessed work of Whole-Soul and Reconciliation." 

EVANGELIST HAS A VISION 

When Evangelist learned of the Angel 's departure, he received 
a vision which he gave to me, saying: "Write it down, for the ful- 
fillment is at hand. 

"I saw a craft upon an angry sea which threatened to engulf 
it, and noticed that the rowers toiled with difficulty in keeping 
the ship afloat. A number of vile and grotesque beasts lifted their 
slimy heads out of the sea and would have devoured them. 

"Then I beheld that an angel was sent forth by one whose face 
I beheld in the storm, and walking upon the billows she passed by 
the beasts with no sense of fear. She extended her hand and the 
beasts sank suddenly from view and a great calm fell upon the 
sea." 

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE VISION 

^^And what signifieth this vision?" I asked the prophet. 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



305 



'T is the foregleam of God's day which is at hand, when love, 
at the touch of the Divine messenger, shall work the miracle of 
redemption. ' ' 

"Whose face was that thou didst discern in the clouds?" I 
asked. 

' ' 'T was that of the Christ, who ever watches the work of His 
anointed, ' ' replied the prophet. 

''And who are those that toiled at rowing in the little craft?'' 

''These are the children of God in a world of sin and tribula- 
tion, ' ' he replied. 

"And the beasts?" I continued. 

"They," replied Evangelist, "are the schemes of the Enemy 
of Souls by which he would quench the faith of the redeemed." 
' ' And shall he succeed ? ' ' 

' ' The Angel of His presence saveth them, ' ' answered the pro- 
phet. 

Then I realized the meaning of the vision, and saw that the 
Angel's mission at that moment was to have a share in its fulfill- 
ment. 

SATAN TAKES THE AIR 

It was late in the day, when my eyes were turned toward the 
Castle, and there within its spacious grounds, I beheld the Arch- 
fiend regaling himself in the cool of the evening. 

Then I heard the voice of Jehovah, but was not permitted to 
see His form. As the voice fell upon the ear of the Archfiend he 
shrank back as though fearful of harm, and hid himself among 



306 



THE DEVIL'S LABORATORY 



the dense shadows of the trees. Terrible in judgment were the 
words of the Almighty and His voice reverberated throughout 
the depths of the chasm which lay below. 

^'Thou accursed of God! The Almighty hath measured thy 
days. The time fast approacheth when thou, with all thy hosts, 
shall be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beasts 
and false prophets are, and thou shalt be tormented day and 
night forever and ever." 

A great silence fell upon the shadows in which the Enemy of 
Souls sought to hide from the face of God. 

Then the lights went out in the Castle and all was dark. 



CHAPTER XIV 

The Devil's Poisoned Arrows 



"I shot an arrow into the air, 
It fell to earth. I knew not where; 
For so swiftly it flew, the sight 
Could not follow it in its flight. 

"I breathed a song into the air, 
It fell to earth, I knew not where. 
For who has sight so keen and strong 
That it can follow the flight of song? 

"Long, long afterward, in an oak, 
I found the arrow still unbroke; 
And the song, from beginning to end, 
I found again in the heart of a friend." 

— Longfellow. 

DURING the night a terrific storm passed over the hill, and 
jagged rocks which had withstood the tempests of cen- 
turies crashed into the dark ravine. Sharp flashes of 
lightning rent the sable robe which screened the hills, and outlined 
for a moment the gray walls of the castle. 

307 



308 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



Satan and his workmen, busy within, were oblivious of tht^ 
storm, until an intense peal of thunder, following a piercing flash, 
shook the castle and held it for a moment trembling in its grasp. 
Satan shuddered, for the judgment of Jehovah was yet fresh in 
his mind. 

'^The thunders of the Resurrection seem to be let loose/' said 
he, as he walked to a window and peered out into the darkness. 

THE SHEETED DEAD LEFT THEIR GRAVES 

' ' That storm was the most memorable in all history, ' ' ventured 
one of his helpers. ' ' The graves on the hillside were opened, and 
many of the old saints were said to have appeared in Jerusalem 
and vicinity. ' ' 

"Yes, that was a memorable day," responded Satan. 

' ' Think you this forebodes a similar victory to the children of 
God 1 ' ' asked one who stood near the Archfiend. 

''It is to be hoped not," replied he, "for we have never quite 
recovered from the cataclysm of that day." 

' ' That was many years ago, ' ' added the fiend. 

"Yes, tiventy centuries/' replied Satan. * 

As the storm receded, their fears subsided, and as the stars 
came forth to keep vigil over the earth, Satan and his fiends 
resumed their tasks. 

They were in a little room close by the one where the poisons 
of envy and jealousy were concocted. The haste with which they 
all labored attracted my attention; and I listened to their con- 
versation, seeking to learn the intent of such urgent activity. 



THE DEVIL'S POISOXED AREOAVS 



309 



SATAX ISSUES HIS ORDERS 

These arrows must be pointed, poisoned, and on their way to 
their destination before morning," said the Archfiend to an 
assistant. 

"Why such great haste!" asked the latter. 

"There is need for them this very moment in the city where 
Hypocrite lives. There is a tangle in Minister Good's clmrch, 
and the more acrimonious we can make it the better," replied 
Satan. 

"They shall be pointed and poisoned in time for shiiDment," 
rejoined his assistant. 

Then I understood they were speaking of words, which were 
intended to blast friendships, and, if possible, despoil character. 
These were spoken of in the castle as "arrows," and were sug- 
gested in such a form as would give them, when spoken, a deadly 
influence. 

In a short time Satan summoned a number of fiends and gave 
them orders to enter the homes of Minister Good's people, and 
incite them to gossip, backbiting, and slander. Faultfinder was 
in charge of the force, and his manner was most determined. 

"We shall have to redeem ourselves this time," said he to his 
band, "for our master has placed upon us a great responsibility." 

"If tact and subtlety are worth anything, we shall win this 
time," answered the second in command. 

IX THE SILEXCE OF THE GREAT CITY 

As Faultfinder and his demon crew stealthily left the castle, I 
followed them to the City of Worldliness. 



310 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



This great Babylon, with its untold opportunities for good or 
evil, always fascinated me. Now in shrouded splendor it lay, out- 
stretched like some slumbering giant, waiting for the first touch 
of dawn to wake it into activity. 

Its basilisk eyes were dimming in the faint flush that was climb- 
ing the eastern sky, as Satan's shadowy horde passed within its 
boundaries, conferred for a moment, and then separated to strive 
for the ending of Minister Good's faithful work. 

Here and there belated devotees of Bacchus or Belphegor, or 
both (for their shrines are never far apart), wan-eyed and fur- 
tive, slunk past me as though afraid of God's sunlight. 

The indescribable voice of the city began to be heard, as men 
and women with pallid faces, aye, and little children, too, with no 
mark of childhood's happy time upon them, filled the thorough- 
fares, crowding, jostling, pushing on to where the iron arms of 
great factories and workshops stood open to receive them. 

THE ixveis^tio:jts of casuistry 

I thought of the endless and nameless circumstances of every- 
day existence ; of how, to most, life goes round and round in one 
beaten path; and how man manacles himself with the supposi- 
tion that, a little money, a little food and sleep, old age and death, 
are all the future holds for him. 

Might not something be drawn from past or present knowledge, 
science, or faith, whereby to shape million-handed labor to an end, 
an outcome, in which sunshine and flowers should have a part ? 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



311 



FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS AS WE FORGIVE 

Then, as if in answer to my unspoken question, a voice beside 
me, which I recognized as that of tlie Angel of Ministry, said : 

' ' When men acknowledge the supremacy of the commandment 
to love God and man ; when they accept the doctrine of the father- 
hood of God and the brotherhood of man; when they agree to 
the abrogation of the law of retaliation, and assume the obliga- 
tion to love even one's enemies— then, and then only, shall all 
tears be wiped away.'' 

THE to:n^gue is unruly member 

I turned to greet her, but met only the light touch of her 
invisible hand, which now led me along the busy streets until we 
came to the home of Minister Good. The faithful priest of God 
was in earnest conversation with his wife, and as we entered 
unseen by them, I heard him say : 

''It is too bad that such things should happen among the fol- 
lowers of Jesus." 

' ' The tongue is an unruly member ; and no man has yet been 
able to tame it, ' ' replied his wife. 

''It will take years to neutralize the venom of these hurtful 
words, I fear. Where the mind is wrought into a fever, cruel and 
cutting words are spoken and every such act is harmful to the 
Master 's cause, ' ' said the minister. 

we do the things we should not 

"I have often thought," rejoined Mrs. Good, "how sad it is 
that we start off so full of zeal to serve the Master, only to find our- 



312 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



selves repeating old blunders and allowing the same besetting 
sins to retain their hold on ns when but a little way along the 
road.'' 

^'Yes,'' replied her husband, ^'men seem to compromise with 
themselves in these days. They will not do murder, but they 
hate, and, according to the divine standard, that is murder. 

^'They will not steal," he went on, ^'but they covet their neigh- 
bor's goods, or, perhaps, cloud his reputation, and that, by the 
same standard, is theft. ' ' 

^'That is true," responded his wife, ''but it seems to me that 
what we need most, at this time, is to have a clearer understand- 
ing about the beam and the mote— the one in our own, the other 
in our brother's eye. It is very easy to criticise another's life, but 
how pitiful it all seems when we realize that our own lives are not 
ordered any too well." 

WE GRUMBLE AT ANSWERED PRAYER 

''I often think," said the minister, ''how we pray every day 
'forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors,' and then are 
disappointed because our prayer is granted exactly as we ashed 
that it should he. 

"But we can pray for understanding," he continued, "and 
when we practice in life whatever we pray for, God will give it to 
us more abundantly. Then, 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as 
your Father' shall not be a fair vision which recedes as we go on, 
but we shall come up to it one day. 

"I pray for the tongue of an angel when I think of the work 



THE DEVIL 'S POISONED ARROWS 313 



that is laid upon me to do, the words that I must speak to this 
generation, ' ' he still went on. ^ ^ Would that I could gather them 
together and by the 'white light of potent words' convince 
them that they stand fronting their own shadows, and that, seeing 
only this darkness, they are denying the glory of that 'Light which 
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. ' 

THE NEW OLD STOEY 

^ 'I would say to them, 'I have no dogma to offer you, no ritual, 
no church polity, no creed; but what I have for you is the truth 
that was put in words two thousand years ago, and yet thrills 
through the world's heart to-day as never before : 

^ ' ' Christ is at hand ! Truth is here, within touch ! 

it 'The gospel is vital and glowing; no longer an abstract 
theory, but a moving force, a beautiful, living verity." 

''the inane tumult of hearsay'' 

The immediate subject of the conversation between Minister 
Good and his wife was the fact that two societies which had been 
organized for the material benefit of the church had fallen into 
a tumult of hasty words because one had outdone the other in the 
success of an entertainment. Mutual friendships of long stand- 
ing were blasted, and the matter which began with unkindness of 
speech assumed a personal character, and ere long a spirit moved 
in many hearts which gave expression to resentment and retalia- 
tion, that bore neither the mind nor the marks of the lowly Naza- 
rene. 



314 



THE DEVn^S POISONED ARROWS 



Bitter as the sting of that old serpent, the Devil, were the 
utterances of those who had upon them a vow of holiness unto the 
Lord, and, in consequence, a stain was placed upon the church, 
which led the Angel to weep. 

Hate and rancor polluted the springs of finer feeling in many 
hearts, and the poisoned streams which issued from them carried 
the venom direct into unsuspecting souls. 

vows OF HOLINESS AKE FORGOTTEN 

Stinging insinuations were made by thoughtless hearts, and 
bitter words, pointed with intent to injure, flew thick and fast, 
until the minister 's heart fairly bled, because of conditions which 
he seemed powerless to change. 

Gossip and evil-speaking ran into slander in many instances. 
People took sides, and the war of words went on, until the min- 
ister felt that his work of years had fairly come to naught. 

' ' Why can they act thus if they have learned of the Master ! ' ' 
he inquired to himself. ''The spirit of Christ, which esteemeth 
others beyond self, and which thinketh no evil, seems to have 
been obliterated by that of backbiting and hatred." 

He was thinking of Mrs. Hypocrite and the unkind things she 
had said of Miss Sincere. Both were presidents of church 
societies, and the former was intensely jealous of the latter 's 
success. 

"Yes, one little word, poisoned and aimed to injure, has 
defeated the cause of the Master more than once. Would they 
could realize the harm their reckless speech is doing," said he, 




316 



See p. 320 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



317 



opening his Bible. As his eyes fell upon the words, ''He was 
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth," 
Miss Sincere came to his mind; and also the way in which she 
persistently adhered to what she considered her duty notwith- 
standing the bitter accusations made by Mrs. Hypocrite. ''She 
hath learned of Him," he thought. "Yes, it is true, 'He that 
is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth 
his spirit than he that taketh a city. ' ' ' 

From the parsonage, the Angel led me to the home of Miss Sin- 
cere. 

EVANGELIST COMFOKTS MISS SINCERE 

' ' There is a soul-sorrow in being misunderstood, ' ' she was say- 
ing to Evangelist, who had come to her home upon hearing of the 
trouble. 

"Yes, dear child, when our best motives are questioned, it is not 
an easy cross to bear, but trials in life bring the Christian into 
fellowship with the Master's sufferings, " answered the prophet. 

"I had never thought to look at these jDroblems from that point 
of view, but I believe you are right, ' ' she replied. 

"Thou needest not fear the issue when an illuminated 
conscience approveth thee, ' ' said Evangelist. 

"That is so, but one longs to be at peace with all men, especially 
with those of the household of faith ; and to endure the stings of 
envy and untruth calls for more grace than we sometimes possess. 
It is hard to do as Jesus did, ' ' Miss Sincere replied. 



i8~The Modern Devil. 



318 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



LET US FOLLOW HIM 

^*Yes, it is, and no one appreciates this fact more than oiir 
Lord, who bade us follow in His footsteps," added the prophet. 

' ' Yes, it mnst be so, ' ' responded Miss Sincere. 

Then I saw the aged servant of God lay his hand upon that of 
this much disturbed child of faith, and I heard him speak in the 
tones of a father : 

''Let not these arrows of malice and untruth pierce thy soul. 
Maintain the integrity of thy motives and fear not; for coming 
days shall exalt thee as one who needeth not to be ashamed. ' ' 

' ' I will endeavor to do so, ' ' she answered. 

' ' It is well, ' ' responded the prophet, and as he spoke, the rays 
of a great goodness lighted up his saintly face. 

Ere Evangelist retired for the night, he opened his Bible and 
read as the evening's lesson these words : 

''The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying 
tongue is but for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of them that 
imagine evil : but to the counsellors of peace is joy." 

FAULTFINDER HEARS THE REPORT OF HIS BAND 

After leaving the home of Miss Sincere, I walked along until 
I came to the Church of the Disciples. I joaused for a moment 
to admire its architectural beauties, and while standing there, saw 
Faultfinder approach, unseen to any mortal eyes save mine. He 
was apparently there by appointment, for he peered up and down 
the street, at short intervals. 

Soon his band of demons appeared, and a gleam of satisfaction 



THE DEVIL'S POISOXED ARROWS 



319 



appeared upon his repulsive face as he saw that they were empty- 
handed. 

''If you have succeeded in sowing a good crop of personal 
words in tlie hearts of the members of tliis churcli, " indicating the 
edifice with his liand, "I shall he satisfied," was his salutation to 
his hand. 

THE DEVrL AVILL SMILE IX APPROVAL 

"AVe have finished our task and the work has been well done," 
said one with assurance. 

^'That will gratify His Satanic Majesty, surely," responded 
Faultfinder. 

''How far did the supply of arrows go?" he inquired. 

"We covered the two societies with the exception of one per- 
son, ' ' answered the leading fiend. 

' ' Who is the exception 1 ' ' asked Faultfinder. 

"The one with whom the prophet tarries," said he. 

"Do you mean Miss Sincere, one of the presidents?" asked 
Faultfinder. 

' ' She is the one, ' ' was the reply. 

"Well, the croj) is sown; now we shall see what comes of it," 
observed Faultfinder. ' ' Back to the castle ! ' ' 

As the emissaries of Satan hurried away, I heard the voice of 
the Angel say to me : 

"The soil of many hearts in the church had been long ready 
for the arrow-words, and from them shall be ripened a harvest of 
lies, slander, revenge. But Satan's triumph shall be of short 
duration. ' ' 



320 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARliOWS 



MISS SINCERE EACES HEE ENEMIES 

In my dream I seemed to take no note of time, for the next scene 
that appeared before me was the vestibule of the Church of the 
Disciples at the close of the morning service. Invisible to all, 
Satan and Faultfinder watched the congregation passing from the 
church to the street. 

"Watch those glances," said Satan, as he pointed to Mrs. 
Hypocrite. ' ' They speak volumes. ' ' 

''There certainly is plenty of venom in them," responded 
Faultfinder. 

''Listen! listen!" said the latter, a moment later, as he pointed 
to a small company just within the church door. There was Miss 
Sincere in the midst of several of her bitterest enemies, who had 
loitered in order to "have it out with her," as they said. 

"That is what we want to hear," said Satan, "that is the work 
we intended to do. Listen to that caustic scoring. That sarcasm 
is suj^erb. ' ' 

' ' She seems entirely defenseless, ' ' said Faultfinder, ' ' she opens 
not her mouth, ' ' and he laughed with great glee. ' ' We have won 
in this game, all right. ' ' 

' ' I am not so sure of that, ' ' replied Satan. 

"Why, certainly we have; see how they have her cowed, and 
every one of them iDaying off old scores with a vengeance, ' ' Fault- 
finder rejoined. 

' ' I know, ' ' replied the Archfiend, "but that woman is defending 
herself by the silence of Truth. She is a disciple of Evangelist, 
and the Angel dwells under her roof. ' ' 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



321 



''Why are you so pessimistic? She is the only one who remains 
untainted by our poisons, ' ' asked Faultfinder consolingly. 

''Ah, that is just it, only one, but this is one whom I have striven 
to ensnare for many years. There is no telling but that she may 
blight this entire harvest by her spirit of meekness," rejoined 
Satan. 

"That is impossible," said Faultfinder, "for our work is too 
far advanced. Revenge is both sweet and contagious. ' ' 

' ' That is true, but you have not contended with Truth as long as 
I have. I have seen strange things happen on the eve of fulfill- 
ment of my hopes. I shudder with fear at the sight of one who 
hath learned to master her spirit by silence, ' ' replied Satan. 

THE ANGEL SPEAKS TO MISS SINCERE 

Then I saw the Angel suddenly appear in the very midst of 
the tempest of hatred and ungoverned speech. None of the com- 
pany recognized her presence but Miss Sincere, whose eyes were 
filled with tears. 

' ' Thou hast honored the Lord this hour, ' ' said the Angel to her. 
"Thou hast borne His image; for 'when He was reviled,' He 
'reviled not again;' and 'when He suffered, He threatened not: 
but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously.' " 

"I thank thee for the strength of thy presence and for thy com- 
forting words, ' ' Miss Sincere replied. 

"The Christ hath also prayed for thee that thy courage and 
strength should not fail ; thy spirit at this hour shall be blessed of 
God," the Angel replied, and turning her searching eyes in the 



322 THE DEVIL POISONED ARROWS 

direction of Satan and Faultfinder, her lips moved as though in 
speech, but I heard no sound. Suddenly the two departed with 
hatred upon their faces. 

THE MINISTER IS COMFORTED 

Later in the day. Determination and Whole-soul, who had 
attended the morning service and afterward witnessed the scene 
in the vestibule, called upon Minister Good. Falling in with them 
on their way to the parsonage, I entered it with them. Evidently 
both the minister and his wife were dejected over the occurrence 
in the very gateway of the house of God, for the first words of the 
pastor were : ' 

^ ^ Your coming is a great comfort to us. " 

^'We have come in the name of the Lord, and are glad to be 
here, ' ' replied Whole-soul. 

"Your visit is most timely,'' added the minister. "Satan's 
thrusts at the church are especially subtle, just now. ' ' 

"We think we can see our way to baffle him," said Determina- 
tion. 

"It is time something was done, for our church is in a sad 
plight, ' ' rejoined the minister. 

"So it seems," assented AVhole-soul. "Satan's onslaught to- 
day was both cruel and vigorous. ' ' 

' ' We are prepared to give the old fiend a tussle. We have met 
him before this, and know something of his ways," added 
Determination. 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED AKEOWS 



323 



THE GEEAT SOUI- OE THE WORLD IS JUST 

^^Most enmities in life spring from some misunderstanding, and 
often the bitterest of foes, when they come to know each other, 
become the closest of friends. I tell Mr. Good," said his sweet- 
faced wife, ''that this sorrow will be bnt temporary, for we have 
the Lord on our side. ' ' 

"Yes, it shall be well with thee in a little while. Be of good 
courage," said Whole-soul. 

Then the two departed upon their mission. 

' ' They are true friends, ' ' said the minister. 

' ' They are, indeed, ' ' replied his wife. 

LET us KNOW HIS WILL 

"Let me read this to you," she added, taking a book from the 
table : 

"Let us labor for an inward stillness, 
An inward stillness and an inward healing; 
What perfect stillness when the lips and heart 
Are still, and we no longer entertain 
Our own imperfect thoughts and vain opinions, 
But God alone speaks in us, and we wait 
In singleness of heart, that we may know 
His will, and in the silence of our spirits. 
That we may do His will, and do that only!" 



"That is the secret, no doubt, of the calm life," replied the 
minister. 



324 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



YE SHALL BEAK AND FORBEAR 

^'Yes/' assented his wife, ''for the servants of the Lord must 
not strive ; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, and forbear- 
ing." 

' ' The pain of these arrow-words has been very jDoignant, but I 
am sure that the Lord whom we serve shall heal the hurt, ' ' said 
the minister. 

''Yes,'' responded his wife, "and 'a soft answer turnetli away 
wrath. ' In all of this cruel contest of words, I am thankful that 
we have maintained a peaceable attitude. ' ' 

"That is indeed a satisfaction," replied Minister Good, "but 
it is difficult to remain silent when one's good intent is assailed." 

"It is hard," said Mrs. Good, "but He did it, and those who 
follow Him must walk in His steps." 

' ' ' The meek will he guide in judgment : and the meek will he 
teach his way, ' ' ' added Minister Good. 

THREE GATES OF GOLD 

"I have thought for some time," said the minister's wife after 
a few moments of silence, "that a few well-chosen words, judi- 
ciously circulated, would go far toward healing the fault in the 
church. If you agree, I should like to try my plan. ' ' 

It was not long after this, that a little card found its way among 
the congregation of the Church of the Disciples, and on it were 
these words : 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED AEROWS 



325 



^^If you are tempted to reveal 
A tale some one to you has told 
About another, make it pass, 
Before you speak, three gates of gold- 
Three narrow gates. First, 'Is it truef^ 
Then, 'Is it needful?' In your mind 
Give truthful answer. And the next 
Is last and narrowest— ' Is it kindf' 
And if, to reach your lips at last. 
It passes through these gateways three, 
Then you may tell the tale, nor fear 
What the result of speech may he.'' 

The little card justified Mrs. Good's belief in its efficacy, for 
time and again it fonnd its way where spoken words conld not 
have gone, and many of those whose speech had been intemperate 
were touched by its message. 

MR. HYPOCRITE APPLAUDS SELF-POISE 

"That hits the nail on the head," said H^^pocrite to his wife, as 
he handed her one of the little cards. 

"That is some of Miss Sincere 's sly work," replied his wife 
contemptuously, as after reading it she threw it on the floor. 

"Good for Miss Sincere, then," replied Hypocrite. "It is a 
clever reply to her enemies, and certainly offers wholesome advice 
to every one. AYhat has been gained by this battle of words ? I 
don't know but what it is an excellent plan to return good for 
eviL" 



326 THE DEVIL 'S POISONED AKROWS 



^'Good for evil! I do not think so," responded iiis wife, with 
great bitterness. 

^ ^ Self -poise in controversy is a grace, however, ' ' said her hus- 
band, ''and that is what Miss Sincere has kept through this 
affair." 

''Oh, yes. She's one of your good sort," sneered his wife. 
i i Perhaps she is, ' ' said Hypocrite as he left the room. 

IT IS LAID UPON ME TO SPEAK 

Again, and without having taken note of intervening time, I 
found myself in the home of Minister Good, and saw him arise 
from his chair to welcome Evangelist, who had just entered. 

' ' The Lord be with thee, ' ' said the prophet in salutation. 

' ' And with thee, also, ' ' returned the minister. 

' ' I hear the Enemy hath wounded many of thy flock of late, ' ' 
continued the prophet. 

"Yes," answered Minister Good sadly, "and I fear the injury 
to their religious life is irreparable." 

' ' The sin of guile in speech shall be atoned for, and I am come 
at the Lord 's bidding to set this matter right. Sin must no longer 
reign in their mortal bodies. ' ' 

"To what work has His spirit prompted thee!" inquired the 
minister. 

' ' Even to declare the plain truth of God concerning the sin of 
evil-speaking, this coming Sabbath, in thy place. The truth must 
be told, and it must be first told in the house of God ' ' answered 
Evangelist. 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



327 



^^Do you think that the congregation will submit to the truth 
being told them at this time f ' ' asked the minister. ' ' There is yet 
much rancor and enmity in the church. ' ' 

^'The message of truth may cut to the quick, and for the time 
enrage the sinner, but in the end it will lay bare to him his guilty 
heart, ' ' replied the patriarch. 

"Yes," assented the minister. ''Truth alone can set us free 
from the bondage of sin and death. 

EVANGELIST PREACHES WITH BOLDNESS 

''In just a few more years each soul, here gathered,'' said 
the prophet in the pulpit of the Church of the Disciples, "must 
appear before the God of Judgment, and give an account of 
every idle word. 'Let us not therefore judge one another any 
more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock 
or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.' 'Grieve not the 
holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed imto the day of 
redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and 
clamour, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, with all 
malice : and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving 
one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' " 

TEAES OF REPENTANCE FLOW 

When Evangelist had finished his address, a mighty hush fell 
upon the audience. Tears flowed freely, and the Angel, who, 
unseen, hovered over the assembly, saw that the tears were of 
repentance. 

Minister Good prayed for the sealing of the prophet's message 



328 



THE DEVIL POISONED ARROWS 



to the souls of all, as the closing hymn ascended from the lips of 
the congregation : 

"So let our lips and lives express 
The holy gospel we profess ; 
So let our works and virtues shine 
To prove the doctrine all divine." 

THE FERVENT, EFFECTUAL PRAYER 

There shall be peace after the storm; for the sun of God's 
favor is beginning to break through the clouds, ' ' said Mrs. Good 
to her husband, after the service. 

''The Lord was in His holy temple to-day, and the marks of 
Jesus shall be restored to His people," answered the minister. 

''Showers of blessings were falling unseen throughout the 
entire service," said Whole-soul, who had now joined them. 
"The coming of the prophet was God's answer to your fervent 
prayer. ' ' 

"It seems as though Jesus was again walking on the dark 
waters of angry Galilee. One almost saw Him there, and heard 
His 'Peace, be still, ' " replied the minister's wife. 

' ' There can be no doubt that He was there, ' ' assented Whole- 
soul. 

Then I heard by my side the voice of the Angel, saying : 
"Child of the vision, the Lord has wrought mightily this day 
through his servant. Evangelist; He has silenced and cleansed a 
host of venomous tongues ; He hath purged malice from the hearts 
of many, and put an end to slander and lies in this fold of His 
people." 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



329 



HYPOCRITE AND MAN-OF-THE-WORLD DISCUSS MATTERS 

On the following day, I saw Hypocrite and Man-of-tlie-World 
seated in the former's office. 

^'That was a most wondrous meeting last Lord's Day," Hypo- 
crite was saying to his friend. *'I have not joined in the alterca- 
tions that have been going on in the church these past months, but 
if I am able to judge, the Almighty was in that gathering." 

^^How does your wife feel regarding it!" asked Man-of-tlie- 
World. 

^'She has been very quiet since then. At first she appeared 
troubled, but yesterday she called upon Miss Sincere, and the two 
societies may yet work harmoniously, ' ' answered Hypocrite. 

^'That is indeed wonderful," said his friend. 

^'Yes, it is, and do you know," said Hypocrite, in a tone of 
confidence, ''I 'm coming to feel that there is more in the religion 
of Evangelist than I have been willing to admit. Life is too short 
for many of the feelings you and I entertain, and the principles 
we strive to follow." 

*'Well, you may be right," replied Man-of -the- World, ^^but 
those are matters I know very little of, and I 'm too busy to be 
troubled much about them. ' ' 

^'The possession of a soul is a matter of grave responsibility, 
though," added Hypocrite, as they turned to the business that 
was to engage them. 

SATAN FALLS INTO A RAGE 

When the Archfiend learned of the prophet 's sermon and was 
told by his fiends that it was an antidote to the arrow-words, his 



330 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



rage was terrible to behold. Rushing back and forth through 
the corridors of his castle, he heaped oath after oath upon Fault- 
finder, and refused to be satisfied with any explanation he could 
offer. 

^' Shall nothing that I undertake succeed?" he cried out in his 
passion. ''Shall this man Evangelist and that Angel hold sway 
over all the earth in the name of the Almighty T' 

''It is only ill success in one church," Faultfinder ventured to 
say. 

' ' 111 success ?— failure ! utter failure ! I say, ' ' rejoined the Arch- 
fiend, ' ' and if those two can beat us when our plans were as well 
laid as they were in that church, they can do it everywhere 
throughout the world. ' ' 

' ' You need not take the matter so much to heart, ' ' replied the 
fiend, seeking to pacify his master. 

"Take it to heart! Where else can one take such galling 
reverses f All of you that were concerned in this shall suffer^ ' ' 
cried Satan, as his rage increased. 

Faultfinder skulked away in fear, as Satan, gathering bundle 
after bundle of newly pointed and poisoned arrows, threw them in 
a heap on the floor and then jumped upon them in a paroxysm of 
fury. 

LOVE AND FORGIVENESS IS THE BETTER WAY 

As the vision faded away, I beheld Miss Sincere seated in 
friendly conversation with Mrs. Hypocrite, and knew that they 
were planning for the mutual good of their societies, which had 
for their object the extension of Christ's kingdom on earth. 



THE DEVIL'S POISONED ARROWS 



331 



Toying with a little card which lay on the table, Mrs. Hypo- 
crite said : ' ^ This was handed to me by my husband last even- 
ing. It seems to me that it forms a little bridge over which we 
can both cross to reconciliation, and perhaps see life from its 
nobler side. Then she read these words : 

"Thou hast, dear heart, no time for bitter hatred; 
Life's little day is all too short for tears. 
Live in the love whose magic touch gives healing. 
Where words unkind cut deep along the years. 

"Then lay aside each little hurt and foible, 
Let not revenge enthrall thy heart to-day; 
Life is too brief for aught which breeds contention, 
Love and forgiveness is the better way." 



CHAPTER XV 



The Divorce Bureau 

"The kindest and the happiest pair 
Will find occasion to forbear; 
And something every day they live 
To pity, and perhaps forgive." 

— Cowper. 

ONCE more I visited the little glade from whose friendly 
seclusion I had witnessed the rage of Satan at the escape 
of Artful. 

The red and golden glories of sunrise were touching the grim 
walls of the Castle of All Evil, as I reached the spot to which I 
had bent my steps, and soon the sky was a dome of blue velvet 
mottled with fleecy clouds. 

How long I stood regarding the scene, as nature bloomed 
afresh, I know not, but letting my eyes fall on the path in front 
of me, T saw one Belial by name, in earnest conversation with the 
Archfiend. They were seated upon a little knoll near my retreat, 
and their words came easily to my ears. 

''We must do something," said Satan, ''to make up for the 
reverses of the last few days. ' ' 
332 




, ' SiiiU. 

Ill iili 



'J'fi'' Modern J)-iil 



Ciiji//i-ii//it . liiD.l, by ir. W, Jlonstoa. 



I saw Belial and Faultfinder approach a home.'" 

833 Seei^.riid. 



THE DIVOECE BUREAU 



335 



*'Have yon formed any new plans ? ' ' inqnired Belial. 
^^Xothing definite," replied the Archfiend. 

FArLTFIXDEE EEDEEMS HIMSELF 

Jnst then a fiend bearing a sealed note came on a rnn to where 
the plotters were seated. Satan tore open the missive and read : 

^' To His Satanic Majesty. 

"Greeting : III are been stirring up trouble in the home lives of 
men and ivomen, and have succeeded, during the last year, in hav- 
ing four thousand six hundred and sixty-nine divorces granted in 
one state alone. It striltes me that this is a matter worth y of your 
most serious thought. If we can break up homes at this rate, we 
are doing a great deal to retrieve our losses in other directions. 
"Your faithful servant, 

"Faultfinder.'' 

**This is the very thing we want,-' said Satan with a smhle. 
Faultfinder is again in my good graces. 

BELIAL GEASPS THE SITLATIOX 

^'It certainly will open a large field for operations," continued 
Satan. "I haA'e heard that all matches are made in Heaven, hiit 
from what I have seen I m Cjiiite snre that this is not the fact." 

"Ha ! ha I" shonted Belial. ''AVell, I slionld say not I There 
are hundreds of men and women whom I know, who are uneqnally 
yoked together, and with many it would take bnt a trifle of inter- 
ference to dissolve the relation. In fact, they are anxious to dis- 

JO~The Modern Devil. 



336 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



solve it, but are restrained from taking the step by a false sense of 
respectability." i 

^ ' I think your views are correct, ' ' replied the Archfiend. ' ^ The 
more I dwell upon Faultfinder's suggestion, the more it appeals to 
me. I think this is a capital time for action. ' ' 

^'His suggestion is certainly worth trying; and the success he 
has already attained is in itself a guarantee of future success," 
replied Belial. 

''The work shall be attempted at least," said Satan. ''I place 
the matter in your hands. See to it that you keep up your reputa- 
tion for good work. " 

With this, I saw the pair walk slowly toward the castle, and 
noticed the gleam of gratification which lit up the face of the 
Archfiend, as they passed through the massive doorway and were 
lost from sight. 

But only for a moment were they beyond my vision. 

IN THE DIVORCE BUREAU 

Again I saw Satan and Belial, and this time they were seated 
at a table in the Archfiend's Divorce Bureau, with a number of 
large books open before them, over which they were conferring. 
Several fiends were searching in other volumes for certain rec- 
ords, while another compiled with great rapidity a long list of 
names from Satan's dictation. Still another, who was no less a 
person than the Archfiend's private secretary, was drawing up 
what appeared to be a set of rules. 

''There," said Satan to the fiend who was compiling the list, 
"that will do for to-day. Make two copies ; file one for reference 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



337 



and send the other to Faultfinder." Then turning to Belial he 
said : 

^^The marriage bond used to be regarded with great sacred- 
ness ; and only for certain reasons, as stated in the teachings of 
Jesus, was it possible for Christians to secure letters of separa- 
tion." 

BOTH CHURCH AND JUDICIARY ARE LAX 

^^We broadened the way for divorce when we induced the 
statesmen to relax the statutes somewhat, ' ' answered Belial. 

^'When people see money in a thing, you can have any law, 
however rigid, annulled or amended nowadays. It 's only a ques- 
tion of knowing how and when to pull the wires, ' ' Satan replied 
with a grin. 

' ' Laxity on the part of the church has also helped this divorce 
business, ' ' responded Belial. 

^'I know it," said the Archfiend, ^^but at this time the church is 
greatly agitated over the question of divorce. ' ' 

^'It takes a long while, though, to restore sentiment when once 
it has been tampered with, and you know our manipulations have 
been pretty effective, ' ' Belial replied. 

''There is no question of that," said Satan, ''but there is now 
such an awakening of conscience regarding this matter that our 
plans must be well laid if we are to have any success in our under- 
taking. ' ^ 

HOME DESTRUCTION IS CAREFULLY PLANNED 

At this moment the secretary handed a paper to the Archfiend. 
*'Read it aloud, " said Satan, returning it to him. 



338 



THE DIVORCE BUEEAU 



'^Yes," rejoined Belial, as he settled himself comfortably to lis- 
ten, '^we have spent considerable time and thought on this divorce 
business, and I am qnite anxious to know the result of our con- 
ference." 

The secretary began to read : 

^ ' Castle of All Evil : 

*^Eesidexce oe His Sataxic Majesty: 

^'Memorandum of rides to he observed in handling divorce—'^ 

Never mind all that !" ejaculated Satan impatiently. ''Eead 
the rules ! ' ' 

The secretary read again : 

^'1. We shall tempt all Jaic-mafiers and judges to 
further amend existing laws coneerning mar- 
riage and divorce, in order that both mag be 
matters of convenience. 
2. We shall tempt the legal fraternity to stir up 
the question of divorce, wherever feasible, by 
offering them exceptionally large fees. 

*^3, We shall fence off certain states where, by rea- 
son of this adjustment, divorces can be readily 
obtained. 

^'4. We shall use every possible means linown to our 
craft, to deaden the consciences of men with ref- 
erence to the moral side of marital separation. 

^'5. We shall tempt youth, and such as are unfit for 
conjugal union, to speedily enter that state. 



THE DIVOECE BUREAU 



339 



^^6, We shall persuade all ministers, in so far as 
possible, to install private marriage bureaus, 
whereby all classes and conditions may be more 
easily joined in matrimony. 

^'7. We shall give special attention to 'Society Peo- 
ple,' and by encouraging platonic friendships, 
reach the same result— home destruction— as by 
methods which already obtain." 

^^Tliat sounds all right," said Satan as the secretary finished 
the reading. 

"Yes, ' ' replied Belial. ' ' I think that covers the ground. ' ' 
Despatch a copy to Faultfinder at once," said Satan to the 
secretary, "and express my appreciation of his suggesti^on. " 

"It shall be done," was the reply, and so saying, he took his 
leave of the pair, who, soon after, arose and left the room. 

Darkness closed around me, blotting out the vision, as an 
invisible hand led me from the place and beyond the castle walls. 

THE ANGELAS MlSSIO^f IS TO WAKN 

The touch of my conductor seemed familiar, and I was not 
surprised to find the Guardian Angel standing beside me in the 
grounds that surrounded Satan's stronghold. 

"Child of the Vision," said she, "thou hast again been within 
the walls of Satan's home and hast once more heard him plot to 
ensnare the souls of men and women. 

"As the very breath of his nostrils," she went on, "is this dis- 
turbing of the marriage relation. But it shall not be ! " she cried. 



340 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



* ^ It shall not be ! Now I know tlie plan of his attack upon the 
home, and I must impart it to those whose mission it is to sound 
the note of warning that must ring with no uncertain sound 
throughout the City of Worldliness. Come with me ! ' ' 

As we entered the home of Minister Good, Evangelist and 
Determination were seated in his study, deep in conversation. To 
them the Angel revealed herself, while I, unseen, heard what they 
said. 

^'Whence comest thou, kind Angel?" said the venerable 
prophet. 

^'I have come from Satan's Castle of All Evil,'' replied the 
Angel, ^'and there I heard him and his familiar demon, Belial, 
plotting new harm to mankind. ' ' 

Then she told them of what we had seen and heard in the castle, 
and of the Archfiend's latest plans to disrupt and dismember the 
home, by encouraging and facilitating the divorce evil. 

THE ANGELAS NOTE OF WAKNING 

''This is the message that you shall bear to the people of this 
cit}^, ' ' she then said : 

''The sanctity of married life must remain hallowed, and the 
home must continue to reflect the love and righteousness of God. ' ' 

"This divorce evil is one of Satan's sharpest spears^ which he 
has thrust secretly into the vitals of humanity, " said Evangelist. 

' ' The Lord of Heaven hath sent me to arouse the churches and 
all Christian people to the enormity of the guilt of those, who, 
without excuse, disrupt the relations consummated by marital 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



341 



vows," rejoined the Angel. ''He hath sent this word of warning 
by me, and commands the co-operation of His people in safe- 
guarding the home from the wiles of the Devil. Love must be 
kept pure at the fountain.'' 

''It is a time for prayer, and then for untiring activity," said 
Evangelist, breaking the silence that followed the words of the 
Angel. 

Determination then knelt and led in prayer for light, direction, 
and power, whereby to co-operate with God in thwarting this 
gigantic evil. 

\ 

A GAME OF PROGEESSIVE POLYGAMY 

"The voice of the Church of Christendom must be specific," 
said Evangelist, "and its deliverance must strike a death blow 
to this curse. Divorce, as now permitted, is but a game of pro- 
gressive polygamy, and while hundreds dally in this sin, the Arch- 
fiend is blasting their future and damning their souls. No ! This 
unrighteous procedure must no longer be tolerated in the Church 
of Christ." 

' ' The Angel hath spoken the eternal truth concerning the sin of 
divorce," said Minister Good. "The Church has been lax in 
teaching and enforcing the sacredness of the marital vow. The 
words of the Angel are but a reiteration of God's ancient com- 
mand. ' ' 

"His commands are yea and nay; times change, but God and 
His work never, ' ' replied Evangelist. 



342 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



POLITICAL DECAY FOLLOWS LAXITY IN MORALS 

There are lands where the population has decreased wofully 
in recent years," said Determination, ^'and their rnlers have rec- 
ognized and pointed the people to the violation of the laws of 
marriage as the alarming cause. ' ' 

^'Any effort at race suicide runs counter to the divine laws of 
nature ; and upon the individual and upon the state which suffers 
this breach of holy orders will ever rest both a curse and a 
shame, ' ' replied the Angel. 

^'If a man would keep the sacred relations of his life clean, and 
make them a blessing to the race of which each generation is but 
a unit, he must obey the laws of God, ' ' said the minister. 

THE LICENSE OF A DEAD CONSCIENCE 

*^In so-called ^Society Life,' there is an atrophy of conscience 
which leads people to break any divinely constituted law of life, 
when seeking to reach the goal of their perverted passions," 
Determination added. 

^'Only to-day," said Minister Good, ^^I was reading a sermon 
in which the preacher, a bishop in a fellow-denomination, said : 

^Men are losing respect for the home and caring less for the 
family, the unit of our civilization. On the shoulders of the hus- 
bands and fathers of the land rests the responsibility for the low 
estate to which the family has fallen in this country. 

^This great evil— the most frightful danger of our age— is 
divorce and the breaking down of the family institution. If it is 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



343 



not stopped, tlie women of this country and our race will be 
degraded within fifty years. ' ' ^ 

THE PENALTY OF ILLICIT PASSION 

For some time the Angel had stood before the company in 
silence, with the air of one who is deciding a matter of importance. 
Now she said : 

' ' I will describe to you what mine eyes have seen this day. 

''In the dungeons of the Archfiend's castle, I saw gruesome 
cages in which were incarcerated for eternal misery the souls of 
those, who, for the sake of gratifying their illicit passions, had 
wrought revenge and indescribable sorrows and murder. 

''The wailing of their plight was unending; for the light of 
hope had been extinguished by their keeper ere they entered. I 
saw them thus, and pitied them, but my arm was powerless to 
save, for the tears of repentance were dried up in their souls. 

SATAN ALWAYS MOCKS HIS VICTIMS 

' ' The Archfiend, in passing, mocked their piteous cries, and 
tauntingly reminded them of their chains, as he laughed in deri- 
sion. " 

"For what offense were they in these hideous cages T' inquired 
Determination. 

"They," answered the Angel, "lost their souls by following the 
evil suggestions of the Devil regarding love and marriage. Thus 
they wrote the record of their doom. ' ' 

" It is indeed sad, ' ' said the minister, ' ' that there are yet those 
of a like persuasion. ' ' 



344 



THE DIVOECE BUREAU 



There are many who will risk their very souls in defiance 
of the laws of God, to achieve their ends, ^ ' answered the Angel. 

' ' The way of the transgressor is hard everywhere ; he must even 
reap the harvest for which he sows, ' ' said Evangelist. 

PEEACH THE CUKSE OF VIOLATED VOWS 

''We must bend every effort," said Determination, ''toward 
ushering in the day when the true light of God shall illumine all 
men with the truth concerning the hallowed relations of mar- 
riage." 

"Yes, toward this urge all Christians to strive vigorously, for 
Satan vaunteth himself concerning his recently conceived action, " 
urged the heavenh' ministrant. 

"How shall we proceed?" inquired Minister Good. 

"Give instant heed to having the sin and curse of violated 
martial vows proclaimed from every pulpit in the land; and 
secure the co-operation of the religious and secular press. 

"Urge Christ's people to safeguard this sacred ordinance of 
God, by right and just love; and make it reprehensible for the 
clergy of all faiths to unite in marriage those unjustly divorced, 
or those whose physical conditions would render this hallowed 
estate a menace to the race," declared the Angel. 

' ' Thou speakest the words of God, ' ' said Evangelist. 

THE ANGEL TEACHES GOD^S LAW 

Then I beheld the Angel, upon swift wings, crossing the earth ; 
and where men and women regarded God, she taught His law con- 
cerning marriage and the sacredness and purpose of this bond. 



THE DIVOECE BUREAU 



345 



Her message was voiced in all the churches in the exact words 
of the Lord 's command, and much heed was given to it. 

Thus did the Angel advise and i^lead everywhere for the observ- 
ance of the divine rule as to marriage; warning all in this par- 
ticular, however, that ye be ''not unequally yoked together with 
unbelievers. ' ^ 

Throughout her world journey she denounced the evils of 
divorce, clearly stating the only case in which it was justified, and 
quoting the Nazarene teacher as authority for her unqualified 
words. 

Minister Good, from his pulpit, proclaimed the message which 
the Angel had brought, and throughout the entire City of World- 
liness the same message was given by Determination and Whole- 
soul under the direction of Evangelist. The conscience of the 
Church was awakened, and its power was soon felt in all walks of 
life. 

The Judiciary, as well as the Church, now began to see the dis- 
integrating influence of the divorce evil upon the state; and 
unsubsidized periodicals took up the note of warning, until the 
protest of the right-minded against the Archfiend's plan to cor- 
rupt the home became universal. 

BELIAL AND FAULTFINDER ATTACK A CHRISTIAN HOME 

In my vision I saw Belial and Faultfinder approach a home 
known for its happiness, which was situated in the Valley of the 
Cross. I marked the evil intent that burned in their souls. Dis- 
guised, they knocked at the door and entered the modest cottage. 



346 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



Then it was that I saw an engagement with the King of the Bot- 
tomless Pit; for, with Belial and Faultfinder, there suddenly 
appeared a company of satanic beings who were taught of 
Beelzebub himself to destroy domestic happiness. 

* ' They had breast-plates, as it were breast-plates of iron, and 
the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many 
horses running to battle. And they had tails like unto scorpions, 
and there were stings on their tails ; and their power was to hurt. ' ' 

With hellish fierceness they assailed the home upon which the 
sunshine of Heaven had fallen for years, while their fiendish cries 
rent the air. 

''What will the end be?'' I asked myself. Then I beheld the 
Angel enter the contest and knew that the hour of victory had 
come. With the Sword of the Avenger she slew the vile horde 
and then burned their bodies in the pit of Gehenna. None 
escaped her vengeance save Belial and Faultfinder, who vanished 
as she appeared. 

Then I beheld the Angel in the midst of this family which she 
had saved. Lifting her hands in love, while a smile such as 
Heaven alone can kindle lighted up her face, she repeated the 
words of Jesus : 

' ' Peace be within this home. ' ' 

Satan's emissaries wreck a home 

Prior to their attack upon the laborer's cottage, Belial and his 
partner had despoiled a home among the aristocracy of the city. 
They had blasted faith by a base suspicion, and in hearts prone 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



347 



to unforgiveness their hellish poison lodged and accomplished 
its work. The Angel sighed in spirit as she watched the sorrow- 
ful ending of what was begun as a lifelong blessing ; but her hand 
was powerless to exjDose the base lies of the enemy, for neither 
husband nor wife would consent to hear the truth. 

As I watched these two misguided souls between whom the 
fiends of Beelzebub had come with the baseness of hell, and wit- 
nessed the death of love in their souls, I said : 

^'The life they lived led up to this ; for it was a hand unnerved 
by the giddy swirl that unbarred the door of the heart to sus- 
picion. ' ' 

Cursed he the social wants that sin against the strength of 
youth! 

Cursed he the social lies that ivarp us from the living truth! 
Cursed he the sickly forms that err from honest Nature's ride! 
Cursed he the gold that gilds the straitened forehead of the 
fool! 

Comfort? Comfort, scorned of devils: this is truth the poet 
sings, 

That a sorrow's croivn of sorroiv is remembering happier 
things, ' ' 

HYPOCETTe's WEDDING ANNIVERSAKY 

Whatever else were his faults, Hypocrite was a believer in the 
purity of the home ; and the elimination of any evil that threat- 
ened domestic happiness appealed to him. 

I saw him seated in his library in pleasant conversation with 



348 



THE DIVOECE BUREAU 



-liis family on the anniversary of his marriage, and a few friends, 
among whom were Minister Good and his wife, and Evangelist, 
were there by invitation. 

During the evening Minister Good spoke to Hypocrite concern- 
ing the blessings of home, for which he had great occasion to be 
grateful. 

This reference furnished an occasion for Evangelist to speak of 
the divorce evil, and of the Church's effort to defeat the purpose 
of Satan. 

Those who appreciate the joy and comfort of home should 
unite wdth us in an effort to suppress the evils which encourage 
family dissolution,'' said the prophet. 

Mr. Hypocrite immediately warmed to the subject, and became 
intensely alive to the importance of the movement. 

^'I am so glad that the ministers and churches are awaking to 
the enormity of the divorce evil," said he. ''Old Satan will 
gnash his teeth, when he realizes that spiritual forces are again 
opposing him. ' ' 

''A man in your position in political life must have had occa- 
sion to see the enormity of this sin, ' ' said Minister Good. 

BEELZEBUB LITANY IS SUNG IN COURT 

' ' Yes, ' ' replied Hypocrite. ' ' It would surprise you to see what 
is going on in the courts. It 's a light matter nowadays for people 
to brush up some excuse for annulling marriage. Of the hun- 
dreds of divorces yearly granted in this city, very few are gotten 
upon legitimate grounds, " 



T?IE DIVORCE BUREAU 



349 



^^What do you consider legitimate grounds?" inquired Evan- 
gelist. 

' ' The law as announced by J esus Christ, ' ' answered Hypocrite. 

• ' Then we stand together in this matter, and why not stampede 
the Devil at the point where he least suspects?" questioned the 
minister. 

' ' What point is that ? ' ' queried Hypocrite. 
"The law-making and the executive centres," answered the 
minister. 

"Well, we have much influence there, if the plan is rightly pre- 
sented, ' ' replied Hypocrite. 

" It is well to leave no stone unturned, ' ^ added Evangelist, ^ ' but 
to me it seems that the truth concerning God 's law as to marriage 
and its attending responsibilities must be plainly taught in our 
churches, that Christians may rightly instruct their families, and 
that those who contemplate entering that holy estate may do so 
with an intelligent conscience. ' ' 

THE DIVORCE MILLS 

"You have hit the nail on the head, ' ' was the reply. "Do this, 
and the rest must follow as sure as day follows night. The young 
people of these times enter marriage thoughtlessly. The pros- 
pect of social advancement, or wealth, leads them to take steps 
which a little later they seek to undo upon the most flimsy pre- 
texts. They seek the divorce mills of some unregenerate state, 
and by feeding the hoppers with fees and falsehood, they disrupt 
their God-appointed union. ' ' 



350 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



^^That is true," responded the prophet ; ''court records abound 
with the names of such as have perjured themselves into free- 
dom." 

Belial and Faultfinder had been at work in the city, and now I 
saw them seated within a massive stone edifice which I learned 
was the Court of Justice. The judge, attired in his robe of office, 
sat in his judicial chair, and with him were two of his colleagues. 
They had reached a conclusion concerning a case, and the judge, 
with unquestionable authority, announced that : 

''Having weighed the evidence, the court has decided to grant 
an annulment of the marriage in question, and grant the said 
parties a bill of divorcement. ' ' 

Belial and his friend chuckled with great glee as this decision 
was declared. 

' ' What a feather in our caps ! " said Belial. ' ' Church members, 
too, with no more real ground for divorce than for jumping into 
the river. ' ' 

"There will be more of our victims here," said Faultfinder. 
"So we '11 wait awhile and help to keep matters moving." 
"Good," rejoined Belial. 

THE DEVIL IS VEEY POLITE 

Then I saw Satan join the smooth-tongued attorneys who had 
pleaded the case, and noted their jovial conversation. 

' ' We are very much obliged for your interest in our business, ' ' 
said one of the attorneys. 

' ' The obligation is mutual, ' ' replied Satan. ' ' We consider you 
our most efficient co-laborers in this branch of our enterprise." 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



353 



' ' That 's a great compliment, indeed, ' ' added another, bending 
low out of respect to His Satanic Majesty. 

At this moment Satan introduced them to Belial and Fault- 
finder, and in turn the attorneys introduced the three friends to 
the Court. 

Before leaving, the Archfiend divided among the attorneys a 
large sum of money as a further retainer, and I heard him say : 

' ' See that those mills keep on grinding ; for we shall be needing 
new material right along. ' ' • 

"We shall certainly look after your interests," they replied. 

THE DIVORCE MILLS ARE DESTROYED 

Not long after this, however, Wliole-soul and Determination 
gathered a number of faithful souls for an attack upon t6e 
Divorce Mills, whose location Hypocrite had given to Evangelist. 

Allien I saw them go forth on their mission, the righteous 
indignation which fired the great reformer of Galilee as he 
scourged the money-changers from the temple burned in their 
veins, and when they reached the Divorce Mills, the entire band, 
at the command of Determination, rushed in with the weapons of 
law and truth, and demolished them. Their patrons, and all who 
were supported by the unholy trade, fled in confusion to escape 
both shame and punishment. 

' ' In the name of God and the home, we shall yet rid the world 
of this damnable business," said Determination to the valiant 
band, as they returned after purifying the entire valley from the 
accursed thing. 

20 — Tlie Modern Devil. 



354 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



ALL 'S WELL WITH THE WOKLD 

As the last of the company passed me, I beheld Evangelist and 
the Angel together, while just behind them, against the evening 
sky, was outlined the Hill of the Cross. 

^ ' What are the signs of promise ! ' ' inquired the prophet. 

^ ^ The Lord is in His Heavens and all is well. The work of His 
servants hath been followed with His blessing. The Archfiend 
has failed in his diabolical design," answered the Angel. 

As the Angel parted from him, the gray prophet returned to 
the home of Minister Good, and conveyed to him the words of 
the Angel ; and together, with glad hearts, they thanked the Lord 
for the tokens of blessing and power He had shown to them. 

When the news of Determination's achievement reached the 
ca* tie, Satan 's wrath was withering in its fury. He raved as one 
given over to madness because his plans had miscarried. 

JEHOVAH LAUGHS AT SATAN 

Rushing forth, he climbed a rock in the midst of the spacious 
grounds about the castle and stood boldly upright. The dense 
woods with their umbrageous shadows clasped the hills back of 
him, as, with face turned heavenward, he pointed his finger in 
defiance toward the Throne of the Omnipotent, and, in oaths 
known only to the Pit, began to vilify the Creator of the Universe,, 
man's only friend. 

In his rage, I beheld the Archfiend stand as one pinned to the 
rock, until the night hid his vile person from my eyes. Then his 



THE DIVORCE BUREAU 



355 



wrath seemed to lack the power of speech, and silence rested 
within the great void which stretched toward the heavens. 

At last a sound like unto the tremendous notes of a mighty 
thunder-peal interrupted the silence ; and I asked the Angel, who 
now stood by my side, to teach me the meaning of it. 

^'The sound is that of the Lord laughing at the rage and blas- 
phemy of the Archfiend, ' ' she replied. 



CHAPTER XVI 



The Worship of Other Gods 

"Among those who hear the wise, four species may 
be distinguished — the sponge, the funnel, the fiker. and 
the sieve. The sponge swallows up everything; the 
funnel allows that to escape at one end which it receives 
at the other; the filter allows the liquor to escape and 
retains the dregs; the sieve rejects the chaff and retains 
nothing but the wheat." — Jeivish Proi'crh. 

EASTEE morn had again dawned upon the earth. As the 
first streaks of dawn shot up the sky, the chimes in the 
tower of the Church of the Disciples rang out exultingiy 
the ancient choral of the Resurrection : 

"Jesus Christ is risen to-day, 

Alleluia! 
Our triumphant, holy day, 

Alleluia! 
Who did once upon the cross 
Suffer to redeem our loss, 

Alleluia!'" 

Then came the clang of bells, and other chimes; and as their 
diverse tones combined in one faint, misty harmony, I thought of 
356 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



357 



the multiform and many-colored creeds which men wrap around 
the one living truth God gives them— Himself. Might not these 
varied forms, at last, reach His perfect ear in the clear monotone 
of love! — 

' * Glory in the highest— on earth, peace ! " 

SILENCE THAT DREADFUL BELL ; IT FRIGHTS THE ISLE 

The melody of the morning bells was wafted to the ear of 
Satan in his castle home, and as the music rose and fell, he 
exclaimed to Deception, who sat near him : 

' ' Those cursed bells will awaken in the thoughts of the people a 
recollection of the meaning of this day. We must devise some 
plan to change all this. ' ' 

'^Nothing will so soon accomplish our end as to captivate the 
peox)le by erecting certain gods to which they already incline, for 
them to worship," replied Deception. "I have worked among 
them and am fully acquainted with their whims and proclivities. ' ' 

'^You have given me a good suggestion," assented Satan. 
* ^ What further plan have you in mind ? ' ' 

THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER GODS 

'^My thought," continued Deception, ''is to build along the 
Road of Life a number of gods such as the gay and worldly- 
inclined secretly worship, and thus divide the interests and 
thoughts of these Christians ere they reach the church. 

''The tendency will then be to create in their churches the 



358 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



spirit and form which best ministers to their tastes and self- 
seeking. We can control the clergy through the insistence of 
the people. 

' ' We have made remarkable headway in many other matters in 
this age, and your suggestion covers a question which has given 
me much anxiety and concern. ' ' 

''What gods do you propose as best suited to the majority of 
mortals?" rejoined the Archfiend. 

' ' The gods of Gold, Fashion, Ambition, Self, Covetousness, and 
a number of others which the hearts of the people easily suggest. 
For the worship of these, they will quickly trample under foot 
their former ideas of honor, of conscience, and religious duty; but 
in rearing these gods, care must be taken to make them attract- 
ive." 

NOW DOES MY PROJECT GATHER TO A HEAD 

Then I beheld Satan summon his henchmen, and a vast number 
of horrible fiends appeared, to whom he gave orders concerning 
the immediate erection of the gods, and with ready obedience they 
set forth to carry out His Majesty's plans. 

Then my heart was bathed in sorrow to behold how along each 
path of life these false gods arose to tempt the souls of the multi- 
tude. Some were new, the creation of the j)resent age, while 
others were old ones— regilded gods which men and women for 
centuries had worshipped with adoring souls. 

' ' The work is done, ' ' said Satan, as he beheld the gods of his 
own fashioning stationed at every point, and kneeling before 
them, a concourse of deceived devotees. 



THE WOfiSHiP OF OTHEB GODS 



359 



HE IS EISEN. HE IS NOT HERE 

Evangelist had spent the night upon a hill outside the city, from 
which the Cross of the Crucified could be seen, watching for the 
dawn of the morrow, which should recall to men the resurrection 
of the sinless Saviour. 

As the day awoke, he kneeled in prayer, and then rose to find 
the Angel standing by his side. 

"Jesus Christ to-day has risen, 

And o'er death triumphant reigns," 

were her words of salutation. 

"He has burst the grave's strong prison, 
Leading sin itself in chains," 

was the reply of the prophet. 

^^But why is there a shade of sadness on thy face this blessed 
morn!' ^ he asked. 

THOU SHALT NOT BOW DOWN THYSELF TO THEM 

Satan is setting up more of his false gods along the Road of 
Life, ' ' she replied. ^ ' He has chosen this, of all days, to delude the 
souls of men and cause them to forget, or lightly pass over, the 
significance of this blessed morn. Thousands who bear His 
name will this day bow down to other gods, thus making Him sec- 
ond in their devotions. ' ' 

Passing her hand to and fro as though to part the veil of sense, 
the Angel pointed toward the City of Worldliness. 

^'Look, servant of God," she said; "look yonder along life's 



360 THE WOBSHIP OF OTHER GODS 

pathway by which this generation journeys to the grave. Yonder 
lies the goal," as she pointed to a distant spot on the horizon, 
' ' and these columns in the patli are the waymarks of years. How 
heedless the soul is to the religion which places Christ upon the 
heart's throne." 

''I behold the vision," replied the prophet, '^and see the gods 
before whom so many of the world vainly worship. To them, 
religion is but a form. The Enemy hath blinded the eyes of the 
23eople, and they bow down as though their visible gods were the 
eternal. ' ' 

I MAY NOT STOP TO SEEK EEPOSE 

Then the Angel pointed the prophet toward a distant garden, 
where was situated still, the grave from which the shining ones 
had removed the stone. Turning until he faced the Cross, the 
patriarch knelt for a moment in prayer, and then, with the Angel, 
passed on to the city. 

^ ' Our Lord hath much for us to do this day, ' ' I heard him say, 
"for the Enemy purposeth to substitute forms and follies for the 
true worship of the risen Jesus. 

^ ^ The Lord grant us power to undo the works of the Devil ! The 
Lord give victory to the work of His saints, ' ' he exclaimed. 

'^Fear not," replied the Angel, ''for the Lord of Heaven will 
this day endue with righteousness and might the hearts of the 
believing. His spirit, inbreathed, shall vitalize the life smothered 
by the empty forms of the Enemy. The songs of His angels shall 
restore harmony where satanic discords abound. ' ' 

As the Angel and Evangelist entered the city, Satan spied them. 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



361 



Curses upon that Angel!" he raged. '^She hath again 
divined my purpose, and even now goes to stir up the zeal of those 
I most fear. " 

Once within the city, the Angel noticed that the false gods were 
built along the way which led to the sanctuary and that they were 
even set up within the sacred edifice itself, in the hope that some 
souls would worship form and ritual rather than the Christ. Call- 
ing the attention of Evangelist to the subtlety in this, she said : 

"Behold the deception of man's Enemy. He hath set these 
pitfalls at every weak point in human nature. ' ' 

"So hath he wrought since the Fall," replied Evangelist, 
' ' only in these latter days his skill and subterfuge know no bounds 
in his determination to capture souls." 

THEKE SHIXES ONE DAY liT SEVEN 

Then I saw that the Angel and Evangelist sought the home of 
Minister Good, and found him in preparation for the day's work. 
To his soul the Angel whispered helpful words, and gave strengtli 
for the day 's mission. 

" AYe have prayed and shall strive, ' ' said Evangelist, ' ' to demol- 
ish the false gods of the Enemy and point the souls of mankind to 
the risen Saviour. ' ' 

Then placing his hand upon the shoulder of the minister, the 
prophet continued, "Be of good courage and give unto thy flock 
the vision of the Christ ; for all must behold Him this day. 

' ' These gods which Satan has erected, but reflect the wish of the 
worldly worshipper wrought out into pleasing form," continued 



362 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



Evangelist. Satan, nowadays, does not so much invent new 
ideas, as he reproduces the gods which embody the whims and 
foibles of a selfish heart. The temples of time are filled with such 
idols, and each life has some god, secreted within the cloister of 
the soul, which it has canonized, and to which it gives conscious 
or unconscious obeisance. ' * 

FOR I, THY GOD^ AM A JEALOUS GOD 

^'For some, I fear it may be too late," replied Minister Good, 
''for when the knees are calloused from the worship of other 
gods, it is difficult to bend them in loyal supplication to the 
Christ.'' 

''That is true,'' admitted Evangelist, ''yet to such as these, 
pressed of the Devil by wealth and fashion and whims of many 
sorts. His patience and forbearance is infinite. He wills not that 
any should perish. He has paved the path of life with hope, up to 
the hour of departure. His eye is ever watchful for the return of 
a prodigal— and there are prodigals from faith— and to such, 
after the sorrows of wawardness have driven them home, the 
Christ is most tender and forgiving. Yes, 

" 'There 's a wideness in God's mercy, 
Like the wideness of the sea.' " 

"I pray it shall be so," answered the minister, as Evangelist 
passed from his home, after leaving a blessing. 

"What a beautiful morning it is," said the minister to his wife, 
who had entered the room in time to hear Evangelist's last words. 

"It is indeed a beautiful day," assented Mrs. Good, "and no 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



363 



day is empty of blessing; for His benedictions are falling some- 
where all the while. 

^'No bird yet sang with all its heart but that his fellows were 
made the happier ; no flower yet bloomed but that the air around 
was laden with its perfume ; no sun ever shone but that the whole 
world in some way felt the healing of its beams ; so, no life ever 
fills its true meaning without leaving some shining good with the 
race. 

' ' There is help we may each give to these disturbed conditions 
of life, if so be we have seen the face of Jesus, and read therein 
the message of God 's love for mankind. ' ' 

^^That is true," returned her husband. '^We each have our 
work to do, and our word to speak. They will fit in somewhere, 
however much we sometimes regard our efforts from a discour- 
aged standpoint. ' ' 

There is really no discouragement," replied Mrs. Good, ''to 
such as live and abide in the life given; joy is but the sunlight of 
God's smile falling upon the opening flowers of the garden of the 
soul, while our little sorrow is but his loving hand thoughtfully 
pruning the vines during a cloudy day. 

"All days run close together and carry the same divine thought. 
The Christian must go on singing to all his brightest hopes, as by 
faith he sees that completion of life which lies for each friend of 
God within the atoning merits of His Son. ' ' 

SURE ALL THINGS WEAR A HEAVENLY DRESS 

Bright skies bathed in azure, air laden with the perfume of 
blossoms, and paths bordered by flowers newly risen from the 



364 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



grave, gave to this Easter morning a halo of blessedness to all 
who beheld it through the AngePs eyes. 

Vast throngs of people hastened toward the churches, and as 
Satan beheld the tide of the populace entering the sacred edifices, 
he realized how etfective had been the services of the heavenly 
ministrant. 

' ' That Angel has turned the thoughts of hundreds, upon whom 
we wrought, to the Church and the recollection of the day 's teach- 
ing, ' ' said Satan to Deception in a tone of disgust. 

^'I have been tinkering somewhat with the service in the 
churches, ' ' replied the latter, ' ' and have planned to hide the real 
import of the day's teaching under a cloak of outward form. We 
may have better results than you are hoping for. ' ' 

''That was a bright thought," admitted Satan. ''Those on 
pleasure bent will not slip from our grasp ; so let us haste to the 
churches and see that our plans are consummated. ' ' 

WE SAY THE PEAYERS AND HEAR THE WORD 

As the hour for morning service drew near, the streets of 
the City of Worldliness were thronged with men, women, 
and children. Throughout the year, Sundays were not 
regarded as other than days of amusement and recreation, but 
to be absent from the house of God on Easter was to commit a 
flagrant sin. 

The Church of the Holy Passion was the centre of attraction for 
a large portion of the well-dressed company on this occasion, for 
the Bev. Mr. Please-all, a celebrated pulpiteer, had recently been 



THE WOESHIP OF OTHER GODS 



365 



called from Longshore to become its pastor, and was to deliver 
his initial sermon. 

In my vision, I beheld Evangelist and Determination enter the 
church vrith the croAvd. and take a position from which they could 
study the scene and grasp the spirit and form of the service. 

Other tilings were given me to see. as from the place I had 
chosen I watched the multitude fill the beautiful auditorium. 
Satan and Deception were conversing in a corner, and the Good 
Angel was standing by the side of Mr. Please-all. 

so FEOM MY LIPS THY SOXG SHALL FLOW 

Soon the great organ in rajiturous exultation res^Donded to the 
touch of the master at its keys, and then the choir, easily the first 
in the city, began the rendition of the musical program of the 
day. 

"Certainly no one understood a word of that," said Satan to 
Deception. 

''They are doing it just as I intended they should," was the 
smiling reply. 

''They can entertain the mind, but such performances are 
pretty sure of never awaking the sympathies of the heart to the 
real truths of the day," returned Satan. "You have done your 
part well. ' ' 

' ' I have striven to supx)ress all religious emotions or sentiment, 
which thoughts of the Eesurrection excite, by prompting the 
singers to pay more attention to technique than to the sentiment 
of truth the words should convey, ' ' continued Dece^Dtion. 



366 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



HOW FAITHLESSLY I DID MY LITTLE PART 

^ ' I understand, ' ' said the Enemy of Souls. ^ ^ That was indeed 
a masterly stroke. If we can only keep Please-all from getting to 
the heart of the day 's teaching, we shall have won our ends. ' ' 

^ ^ Don 't worry about Please-all. I was with him in the prepara- 
tion of his sermon ; and he is going to read it just as he wrote it. 
There will be no heart-glow born of the occasion, thrown in— yes, 
I Ve fixed him, ' ' asserted Deception. 

^'You have gone further into the matter than I thought," 
admitted Satan. 

^'We must attend to every detail nowadays if we want to 
deceive mankind, ' ' was the reply. 

Then I saw how earnestly the Angel pleaded with Mr. Please-all 
to break from the cold, philosophical formalism of his discourse 
and, with soul bathed with holy unction, enter into the practical 
truths and lessons of the day, and thus touch souls with the loving 
and gladdening message of the Resurrection. 

A FAITH THAT SEEMS NOT FAITH 

She pleaded in vain, for the Rev. Mr. Please-all knew what 
would please his audience, and though it was an angel from 
Heaven who solicited him, he refused either to suffer his cold 
ritualism to thaw, or to depart an inch from set forms. The 
Angel sorrowed, for she saw that the great truth of God's triumph 
from the grave — humanity 's greatest boon — was not to be 
expressed, either in song or sermon, that day. 



THE WOESHIP OF OTHER GODS 



367 



The sweet flowers with which the church was profusely deco- 
rated were the true messengers of the Eesurrection, as with 
uplifted faces they seemed to say : 

^ ^ He is not here. He is RISEN. ' ' 

The great organ thundered forth the postlude as the congrega- 
tion passed out, and I saw the officers of the church, among whom 
was Man-of-the-World, congratulate the minister upon the suc- 
cess of the service ; and pointing to the burdened plates, I heard 
one of them say: ^'That is a fine offering. The congregation 
has been generous to-day. ' ' 

Within the choir-room, the singers were complimenting them- 
selves over the perfection with which they had all rendered their 
parts, and I heard flie leader say : ' ^ The most exacting critic could 
not find fault with the music this morning." 

But the Angel knew that because the great stone of form, and 
worship of art for art's sake, had been rolled against the 
sepulchre, the soul of the congregation had not been fed ; that it 
had not met the risen Christ. 

As she departed, she whispered to me, ''The people have not 
learned the lessons of the day. In their hearts the Saviour did 
not rise." 

OH, WEAKISOME CONDITION OF HUMANITY ! 

Leaving the Church of the Holy Passion, I passed into 
the street, and as I threaded my way through the crowds, I 
particularly noticed how a host of Satan's adroit fiends were 
pulling the Juggernaut of fashion over the forms of the gay 
multitude. 



368 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



Seemingly the true conception of the Resurrection, which nine- 
teen centuries of touch with Christ had sought to teach, was not 
yet grasped. All were making of the day a Saturnalia, when the 
goddess of fashion was devoutly worshipped; and the joy with 
which souls should abound in contemplation of the Redeemer's 
triumph over death was to this host of pleasure-seekers an empty 
thing. 

Satan smiled with great satisfaction as he strolled hither and 
thither among the crowd and saw the ease with which he had 
diverted it from the thought and teachings of the day. 

^ ' Never before in the city have I seen such relaxation, nor such 
abandonment of regard for the worship of the risen Christ as this 
day," said the Archfiend to Deception, as the two watched the 
passing show. 

OH ! SHOW THAT SIN TO ME 

But not all in the great City of Worldliness worshipped false 
gods that day. In the consciences of thousands, the voice of the 
Angel had awakened a sense of personal duty, who otherwise 
would have forgotten to fulfill their pledges to Christ that day. 

At her solicitation the eyes of thousands whom Satan had 
blinded by the glare of other gods gazed with sorrow for their 
mistakes into the face of God's Anointed; and the dayspring of a 
better life began to revive where the soul's love had long been 
dead. 

With the Good Angel, on her mission of awakening, were a 
host from above, who had concern for the household of faith, 
and who gave to the Lord 's children the touch of quickening. 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



371 



NEW OBSTACLES AKISE AND OMENS ILL 

Later in the day, Evangelist and Determination were in the 
study of Minister Good, and, unseen by them, I heard their con- 
versation. 

^ ' Times have changed. The idea and habit of keeping the fes- 
tivals of the Church lack the old-time reverence, I can record 
great changes here, within my own lifetime," said Minister 
Good. 

''Yes," answered the prophet, ''times have changed, and with 
this change, the expression of Christian faith has been recast. 
The old truths, which are rock truths, of our religious faith are 
not regarded in these days as of the same importance as in former 
years. Religious festivals are not now accorded the personal 
sacredness they received from the Fathers. The truths these 
festivals then conveyed wrought with much feeling upon the soul. 
Now we have these festivals in forms which gratify the aesthetic 
side of our nature and from them comes very little of transfigur- 
ing vision to the life. Art has been lifted up as a false god, and 
the age applauds it. ' ' 

THY FAIR WHITE FAITH IS SOILED 

' ' You have spoken a great truth, ' ' admitted the minister. ' ' The 
Christians of this age are guilty of going no deeper in their 
devotion to Christ than the form their selfishness approves." 

' ' What didst thou think of the service this morning ? ' ' inquired 
Determination of the prophet. 

21 — The Modern Devil. 



372 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



"Oh, it was so cold and bare of the real spirit which should 
have gladdened the occasion of the Saviour's Resurrection. To 
my heart's sorrow, I saw again exemplified the attempt of man to 
emphasize the form and ceremonial of religion, at the sacrifice 
of the clear utterance of the truths the Church was instructed to 
proclaim. 

"The Church was organized to declare God's eternal message, 
rather than to express a form which delights the fancy. Such a 
service is but man's foolish and futile attempt to make bread for 
the soul from the stones of art and hackneyed dogmatism. ' ' 

"This is the tendency of the times in many places," observed 
Minister Good. "The forces of our advancing civilization seek 
through the social influence of modern times to construct not only 
a church, but a doctrinal form also, that shall regale the tastes of 
the fastidious and querulous, and with the advent of this product 
of the age has gone the soul 's keen craving for the essential truths 
which were once sought after and given prominence. ' ' 

FALSE AS THE DESERT SHINING SPEINGS 

"Rev. Mr. Please-all is one who emphasizes the aesthetic and 
formal elements of religion. So long as the Church lives to 
please the fancies of the people it abides successful, but I have 
often wondered what its membership would be if it were stripped 
of the draperies of fad and fashion which are made so conspicu- 
ously essential," answered Determination. 

' ' These are the gods many worship instead of the true One, and 
witli their demolition would depart the religious expression of 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



373 



their lives. There are too many Cliristians nowadays who attend 
the church to be entertained, and their devotion is to the tiling 
which affords them mental delight, rather than to God, their 
Maker, " added Minister Good. 

''Thou hast indeed touched the fact," replied the prophet. 

"Hundreds of Christians are afraid of the evangelistic spirit 
in this age. Soft-cushioned pews, brief and restful sermons, 
plenty of operatic music— in fact, an hour of diversion, is all a 
large proportion of the church seek. The heathen abroad and 
the heathen at home give them little concern, and conscience is 
easily put to rest if a degree of religious form is maintained." 

"This modernizing of the Church is the work of the Devil; and 
too often the eyes of the elect are blinded by the gilt with which 
the Enemy veneers the weaknesses and idiosyncrasies of the 
saints, ' ' replied Minister Good. 

ONE LOOK BROUGHT PETER BACK 

"The truth is," added Evangelist, "the Cross is kept too far iu 
the background ; and the reason for this is that the personal sacri- 
fice it enjoins is greater than the pleasure-loving and selfish 
are willing to make. If Christ should appear to-day in our 
modern churches, and insist that those alone could bear His name 
who are willing to break in pieces all other gods they worship, 
and follow Him, bearing their cross even to the point of denial of 
self, church membership would be materially reduced. That law, 
however, marks a man as either a Christian or one of the world. ' ' 

"The Master drew a distinction which thousands are not 



374 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



acknowledging in their religious life to-day," replied the 
minister. 

'^We shall have to bend our energies to flooding the cold and 
ceremonial centres of religious life with the light of the Cross of 
the Son of God," continued Determination. ^'We shall have to 
resort to methods that shall banish from the land the false gods 
of the Devil 's substitution. ' ' 

Then Minister Good, Evangelist, and Determination left the 
home of the former and sought the centre of the city. 

e'en SUNDAY SHINES NO SABBATH DAY TO US 

Places of amusement under license of the city government were 
open, and were doing a profitable business. Excursions were 
being run to various parks within easy reach of the city; street 
cars carried tens of thousands to base-ball grounds and golf links. 
The marks of Satan 's hands were upon everything. 

"These are the gods they worship," said Evangelist sadly, 
"and the Lord's children look on supinely, uttering not a word of 
protest, while Satan is hurling soul after soul for whom the 
Redeemer died, into perdition. " 

While the prophet was speaking. Rev. Mr. Please-all went by 
with a party of friends on their way to take a train for one of 
the pleasure parks. Recognizing Evangelist, he looked back, adn 
then turned to the one beside him and said in ridicule : 

"He 's the old erratic who ran the beach meetings a year or 
two ago at Longshore. What do you suppose he 's up to now!" 
With these words the pastor of the fashionable Church of the 
Holy Passion passed on to seek his recreation. 



THE WOKSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



375 



PERVERTS THE PROPHETS AND PURLOINS THE PSALMS 

''That man," said Evangelist, as he pointed his staff at 
Rev. Mr. Please-all, "has let down the bars of Zion. He is of the 
world, worldly. The Lord shall require much at his hands ; for it 
is his spirit of indulgence that has encouraged others of his class, 
and together their influence reaches a wide area. 

"Please-all hath forgotten the divine injunction: 'Ye shall 
burn no . . . honey in any offering of the Lord made by fire, 
. . . and every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season 
with salt ; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy 
God to be lacking. ' Let us go hence. ' ' 

HE HATH A SERVICE FOR EACH ONE 

In the gathering twilight, as the sinking sun threw its golden 
light in soft effulgence over the Hill-lands of Faith, I saw Evan- 
gelist standing with face turned toward the Cross, while by him 
stood Determination looking out in pity upon the great mass of 
thoughtless and transgressing humanity. The countenance of 
the prophet shone as one inspired. He had spoken with God, and 
I saw that the Angel stood near him with outstretched hands. 

Then, in my vision, I saw her direct Evangelist to the steps of 
an old weather-beaten church, long deserted by reason of the 
migration of its congregation to other parts of the city. 

Crowds were hurrying homewards from the afternoon's amuse- 
ments and sports, among which was Rev. Mr. Please-all and his 
friend, Mr. Man-of -the- World. 

"Stand thou here," the Angel said to the prophet, "and cry 



376 THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



out in the name of our God against such flagrant and wanton 
desecration of the Lord's Day. Speak thou the burning words of 
judgment! Spare none; for all these have sinned. Many of 
them under the cloak of religion are deceiving themselves, and 
this day have been the source of stumbling to others of weaker 
wills. Speak ! and the Lord give thee power ! " 

Then I heard him hurl the anathemas of his God into the very 
teeth of the sin-cursed city. The surging throng stopped, and 
standing silent, a sea of faces faced his, as though listening to a 
sentence of doom. 

EXTER T^OT mTO THE PATH OF THE WICKED 

With the boldness of one empowered from Heaven, he decried 
the lax spirit of Christians, and each sentence cut deep into the 
sinful worship of self -chosen idols which for pleasure and reve- 
nue were exalted before the people in defiance of the laws of 
Jehovah. 

Fearlessly he enunciated the irrevocable judgment of the 
Almighty against such as caused the innocent to sin by their artful 
and arrogant perversion of truth. 

' ' Turn ye ! turn ye ! Why will ye die 1 The night hastens in 
vrliich for you, steeped in sin, the stars of repentance may never 
shine. The night cometh, in which the memory of wasted years 
shall be in thy soul as quenchless fires of remorse." 

TAKE FAST HOLD OF INSTRUCTION 

Thus did I hear the prophet address the multitude, and as with 
bated breath the sin-stained souls hearkened, I saw the Angel, who 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



377 



stood by liis side, turn the light from the Cross on the Lonely Hill 
upon the hearts of the motley crowd. 

Then for the moment, as Eyangelist stood in silence before 
them, did they see the yision of the Crucified, whose teachings 
they had that day trampled under foot in their eagerness to wor- 
ship the gods of the world, the flesh, and the Devil. 

HE DEyiSETH MISCHIEF CONTINUALLY 

''He 's at it again," said Please-all sarcastically, to Man-of-the- 
World, as they passed on. ''I trust he will not upset things as he 
once did by his fanatical words at Longshore. ' ' 

''I should be sorry," answered Man-of-the-World, ''for I lost 
a good round sum through his troubling of men's consciences 
on that yisit, " 

"I still hold," continued Please-all, "that the authorities should 
put him away. He is both a babbler and a disturber of the 
peace. " 

"I wish it might be done," replied Man-of-tlie-World, "but our 
hands are tied in that matter by the sentiment and attachment of 
a great number to him. ' ' 

"It is strange that such a nuisance should be permitted here 
in the City of Worldliness, and that the hands of the law are pow- 
erless," persisted Please-all. 

"It is strange, but resistance would only lead to greater trou- 
ble, ' ' replied Man-of-the-World. 



378 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



so COMES A RECKONING 

Hidden behind each false god was a fiend, placed there by 
Satan, to keep record of the number of its worshippers, and now 
I saw Sataai interrogating each in turn. 

The god that had the greatest worship was that of Self. 

''This signifies loss of power,'' said Satan. "How fared we in 
the churches!" he asked of Deception,* who came up just then. 

"The Angel turned the hearts of the people toward thoughts 
of the Resurrection in all save in the Church of the Holy Pas- 
sion, ' ' was the reply. 

Crestfallen, Satan burst forth in a fearful anathema upon the 
Angel, at whose door he laid his defeat. 

Turning away from the Archfiend's awful blasphemy, I came in 
my vision to the home of Minister Good, whither Evangelist and 
Determination once more had come; and the three communed 
regarding the work of God during the day past. The Angel also 
was there. 

HAVING EARS THEY HEAR NOT 

' ' How can they hear such words and not become convicted of 
their sins!" asked Minister Good, as he heard of the prophet's 
message. 

"The eyes of the multitude have seen the light of the Cross," 
said the Angel. "They alone who feel the permanent claims of 
the Christ will tear down the false gods before whom they bow. ' ' 

"Good Angel," entreated Determination, "let the light of the 
Cross shine; let it guide the wayward hearts of this city to a 
pardoning and forgiving Saviour." 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



379 



^^Thou slialt go with those of like spirit,'' enjoined the Angel 
of Determination, ''throughout the land to kindle the fires of a 
greater devotion to Christ. The false gods of the human heart 
must be thrown down before the appearing of the triumphant 
Lord." 

Later, upon the Hill-lands of Faith, I saw Evangelist again 
kneel for prayer, and I heard the Angel say: ''The toil of the 
past day hath been blessed. Many are even now departing from 
their false gods. It shall be a long struggle, but the reward shall 
be worthy of the sacrifice. The Enemy shall also resist, but the 
beginnings of a true faith have this day had their birth. ' ' 

FEOM SEEMING EVIL STILL EDUCING GOOD 

Once more that day I saw Satan in his castle. 

"What are you doing there!" said Satan to Deception as he 
passed by a room in which the latter sat. 

"I am trying to offset the damage done our projects by old 
Evangelist, ' ' answered Deception. 

' ' What is your plan 1 ' ' inquired Satan. 

"I am devising excuses with which to supply all weak Chris- 
tians, and thus save them, if ]30ssible, from the damaging appeals 
of the prophet to which they gave heed. " 

' ' That is a good idea, ' ' assented Satan. ' ' Hurry them up and 
deliver them as speedily as possible. ' ' 

"I shall do the best I can. It takes time and thought to frame 
excuses which will satisfy consciences quickened by such burning 
words as he spoke," continued Deception. 



380 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



''You have been in this business many years and should be a 
master at it, ' ' replied Satan, flatteringly. 

''I 've been at it a long while, but Christians are not deceived 
as easily as they used to be before the Angel and Evangelist 
appeared. Still, as a wise man once said, 'No man is happy 
without a delusion of some kind.' Delusions are as necessary 
to our happiness as realities. I 'm working on that line and 
hope to catch a few souls anyway. ' ' 

' ' Good ! Good ! ' ' laughed the Archfiend. ' ' Only lose no time 
in sending out the excuses. I will furnish you with all the help 
you need in their distribution." With these words, the Enemy 
of Souls left him. 

HIM HAVE I PIEECED 

The last vision of the day took me into the study of Rev. Mr. 
Please-all. In his hand was a book, and this is what he was 
reading : 

"The one burden of His preaching ivas conduct. He laid doivn 
no dogmas. He invented no formulas. He made no metaphys- 
ical definitions. Questions ivhich used to keep Christendom in a 
frantic state of turmoil were never even suggested hy Christ him- 
self. The so-called Christian Church has spent the best part of 
its energy in discussing subjects ivhich are almost unintelligible 
and altogether unpracticcd.^' 

"This is true," whispered the Angel within his soul, "and thou 
art one of those who cloak the truth, that thy people may burn 
pleasant incense to the false gods of their own choosing." 



THE WORSHIP OF OTHER GODS 



381 



Please-all opened his eyes wide in thoughtful amazement, and 
as my vision passed, I saw the Angel pointing him beyond the 
gods which he allowed his congregation to worship unmolested. 

His eyes rested upon an empty tomb in an ancient garden, 
before which appeared One with hands extended, in which the 
scars of a crucifixion were healing. Beaming with a love which 
constrains even the erring to the truth, I heard Him say to 
Minister Please-all: 

'^I am He that was dead and am risen again. Preach me! 
PREACH ME!" 



CHAPTER XVII 



Wrecks Along the Shore 



"I protest that if some power would agree to make 
me always think what is true and do what is right, on 
condition of being turned into a sort of clock and wound 
up every morning, I should instantly close with the 
offer." — Huxley. 



I STOOD on the shore of a vast sea— the "Sea of Social 
Swirl, ' ' and saw that its alluring and invigorating appear- 
ance tempted thousands to enter it. 
Farther out, in the embrace of the full swell, were other thou- 
sands whose predilections for social excesses were being ampl}^ 
gratified. All was merriment and self-gratification, and in not 
a soul was there found an ambition for anything more substan- 
tial than fashionable follies. 

As the Archfiend watched the scene from the shore, I heard 
him say: 

"How innocent!}^ they accept the pleasures we have provided. 
The older ones lead on the younger set, and an ample crowd of 
382 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



383 



venturesome ones are alwa^^s in waiting to take the jjlace of 
those who are carried beyond their depth.'' 

'^Yes, very little solicitation is needed in this phase of life, 
if we keep the attractions brilliant," replied Belial who stood 
by his side. 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PICTURE 

The pursuit of pleasure so absorbed the time and ambition 
of society's devotees, that they saw not the reverse of the scene, 
but it was given me to see the merciless tides lash their helpless 
victims, and then, with means and strength gone and souls 
shriveled, I saw them hurled upon the scorching sands to die as 
wrecks upon the shore— mere semblances of their former selves. 

Depleted and worn by the life they had been leading, I saw 
their bleared faces and bloodshot eyes upturned to the sun, 
which, kinder than their convivial associates, kissed these pitiful 
remnants of life, as though wishing to save them. But the day 
of hope had sped and could not be overtaken. 

Among those who had paid the penalty of this exciting yet 
exacting life I saw, as I walked past them, the forms of two 
whom I had once seen in the glory of social position. 

Satan had won, and there, in the embrace of untimely death, 
lay Presumption and Incredulous, two of those whom Evan- 
gelist had warned of the dangers that lurked by the Primrose 
Path. 

A great shout of merriment mingled with the murmurs of 
the sea, and I noticed that those enjoying the gayety of the 
hour were unmoved by the death harvest strewn upon the 
beach. 



384 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHOEE 



Then I saw tlie propliet weep as liis eyes swept over the scene. 
He had come to speak the ''word in season'' if not too late. 

six's promptings ever EXTHEAL E'S 

''Pleasure and death," said he, as his keen sense of percep- 
tion grasped the scene. ''Pleasure and death, what a narrow 
strip of life lies hetween them, and yet. thousands rush to cer- 
tain doom." 

''The fascinations of the hour seem to be overmastering." T 
replied. 

"Yes, but this is because people will not think. They rush 
forward to their x^leasures and then are thrown back by the 
merciless sea to die along the shore." remarked the prophet. 

AValking among the dead and dying. Evangelist's eyes fell 
upon the two whom he had kindly warned while on their way 
to the PaAulion of Pleasure, and a great desire to save such as 
oppose themselves to right living seized his soul. 

BRIGHT, SHARP DEATH SHIXES EVERYWHERE 

^'AVould that my God might give me a voice that should 
appeal to the so-called society life of this age. Its path is tliat 
of death— death not only of the body, but of the soul." he 
exclaimed. 

^'This wreckage is a sad commentary upon it." I replied. 

"Yes," he continued; "there is a way which seemetli right 
unto a man, but the end is death. 'AVhat shall it profit a man, 
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? ' " 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



385 



Then I saw liow Satan massed his forces on the shore to foster 
new fads and diversions among the "Smart Set." 

"They will follow every fad we suggest," said the Archfiend, 
"for they are always eager for novelty. There is no place 
where customs so soon grow commonplace as among the gay 
set." 

WHEN SIXNEKS ENTREAT THEE 

"It is an easy matter to gratify them in this particular," 
replied Belial. "We have an abundance of ideas to work out, 
and every suggestion they fall in with will lay them stark 
along the shore, sooner or later." 

"These wrecks of humanity prove that," answered Satan, 
laughing. "See there," he continued, as lie pointed to the 
dead and dying. ^ ' Every one of them thought himself safe 
from harm." 

"What a gullible throng there is here," said Belial with a 
smile of gratification, as his eyes swept along the shore. 

"And all will follow us if they are left alone," replied the 
Archfiend. 

"Yes, but there are numbers we cannot catch, however gilded 
the trap," Belial rejoined. 

GOD^S GRASP IS RELENTLESS 

"Yes, God's grasp is relentless when men once yield to him," 
Satan asserted. 

"It is our business to see that men do not yield," replied 
Belial. 



386 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



"You 're right," answered Satan, "and we must push our 
business among this set with all energy and despatch." 

I saw the two walk along the beach to a spot where the most 
frivolous of the set were basking in the joys of sensuality and 
dissipation. 

"Here is the place for action. Those wrecks we have left 
behind are safe," said Satan. 

"Yes," repliei Belial, "they are beyond the pale of hope." 

THE ANGELAS APPEAL 

The Angel of God had been studying the scene, and was at 
that very moment mustering the hosts of Heaven to defeat the 
Enemy of Mankind in his purpose of soul-destruction. 

"It shall not be! It shall not be!" she cried, and then I 
heard her passionate appeal for saving power approach the 
Throne of Jehovah, 

At times her voice was shut from my ears by the incoming 
tide, which, surging shoreward over this scene of sin, dashed its 
spray heavenward, to be jewelled for the moment by the kiss of 
the sun, and then falling upon the blood-stained sands, moan 
its way back again. 

In a moment of calm the voice of the Almighty was heard 
upon the deep; and His message was an answer to the Angel's 
prayer. 

"How often would I have gathered thy children together, 
even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye 
would not!" 




388 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



389 



Then fell what seemed to be a word of doom— ''Behold, your 
house is left unto you desolate.'' 

Tears came to my eyes, and sorrow for the heedless multitude 
I saw before me filled my soul. Then came a word in which 
the Almighty left both hope and promise. 

"For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye 
shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." 

' ' These have come in the name of the Lord, ' ' pleaded the Angel. 
''These would bring salvation to such as, forgetful of Thee, 
and have been ensnared by the Devil. Save! oh, save the per- 
ishing, Almighty God!" 

She spoke of Evangelist and Determination, who stood by her 
side. 

' ' They shall be anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. 
Guide thou their steps," replied the voice of Jehovah. 

THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE 

"Thy blessed name be praised, Most High," whispered 
the Angel. 

Then I saw, with Determination, a band of young men, among 
whom was Light Heart, who, heeding the prophet's message at 
Longshore, had turned to God. He and Whole-soul were labor- 
ing together for those whose hearts God had touched. Now 
they sought for guidance in their attempt to cleanse the social 
world of its besetting sins. 

"The Lord hath enjoined," Evangelist advised them, "that 
you be 'wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.' Resort to 

22— The Modern Devil. 



390 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



drastic measures only in extreme cases. Teach men the truth, 
for the trutli is to make them free." 

Turning liis gaze toward the ^'Sea of Social Swirl," Determi- 
nation recognized one, who, having ventured beyond his depth, 
was now struggling for life in a current known as the Whirl- 
pool of Wine. Thousands since the days of Noah had ventured 
into its vortex and perished. 

The waters near its edge were most invigorating, and Satan 
had given to the whirlpool such a peculiar fascination that 
when their eyes were once fixed upon it, men and women 
plunged into it, heedless of all warnings. Thousands from the 
fashionable set of every city in the land had gone to their 
destruction in the pool upon which Determination was now 
looking. 

WINE IS A MOCKER 

'^'Tis Man-of-the-World!" he cried. ^^He calls for help!" 
and so shouting, he sprang into the treacherous pool, while 
thousands of the ''Smart Set" laughed at his efforts, as with 
superhuman power, bestowed by the Angel, he laid hold of 
Man-of-the-World and dragged him from the waters that were 
dragging him down to death. 

A hush fell upon the giddy crowd as brave Determination laid 
down his burden— one of their own set, whose death would have 
been to them but the sensation of an hour ; then, the excitement 
over, all returned to their merrymaking and frivolity. 

' ' Curse that man, Determination, ' ' growled Satan in his fury. 
"I've struggled for years to get Man-of-the-World where he 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



391 



was at that moment. He 's escaped me again and again; but I 
thouglit I liad liim in my grasj) liere. ' ' 

As Evangelist loolvcd down into the opening eyes of Man-of- 
the- World, saved from death by tlie very liands he liad often 
studied to weaken, he saw tliat lie was torn inwardly by emo- 
tions of shame and chagrin. But when the prophet ]jointed 
him to the Hill of the Cross, saying, "Man-of-the-World, 'Go, 
and sin no more,' " his treacherous eyes looked mockingly at 
the prophet, as he jumped to his feet and hurried back to join 
his set, who welcomed him with much shouting, in which Satan 
and Belial joined. 

''He hath a thankless spirit," said Light Heart. 

" 'Blow, blow, thou winter wind, 
Thou art not so unkind 
As man's ingratitude,' " 

quoted Whole-soul. 

"I fear he hath forged the chains which bind man to destruc- 
tion," said Determination. 

''He hath long spurned the will of God, and the Almighty 
hath given him over to his desire. He hath walked in paths of 
covetousness, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and 
abominable idolatries," explained Evangelist. 

Then I beheld a number of fiends stir up the whirlpool, while 
another vile company, with seductive voices, whispered into the 
ears of those who sat at the card tables and filled the gambling 
halls situated close by the sea. Fascinated, absorbed, eager to 
win, they all became easy subjects of the Archfiend's subtleties. 



392 WEECKS ALONG THE SHORE 

UP ! IT IS JEHOVAH RALLY 

^^Tlie course of all these thoughtless souls," said the Angel 
to Determination, "is toward the Whirlpool of Wine. Go ye 
forth to arouse the conscience of the Christian Church through- 
out the world, that coming generations may be taught to escape 
its perils." 

'^Ah," said the Archfiend, who had overheard her words, 
"she 's looking a good way ahead." 

"1 suppose she calls it taking up arms for Jehovah," added 
Belial. 

Then the Angel turned towards these demons of the Pit, and, 
with flashing eyes, she cried: 

"Dost thou not recall, Snarer of Souls, the judgment pro- 
nounced upon thee by the Most High! Dost thou not yet hear 
the Almighty laughing at the fury of thy defiance in the castle 
grounds? And thou, Belial, lawless and worthless son of 
evil, remember this : ' The gates of hell shall not prevail. ' ' ' 

As her words fell like thunderbolts upon the scheming pair, 
both fled from the scene. 

GOD^S ARM HATH NEED OF THINE 

Determination soon set to work against evils that were 
plainly to be seen, and I noticed in him an enthusiasm, as well 
as a spirit of athletic Christianity, which feared not to attack 
social wrongs nor hesitated to call sins by their right names. 

"Every social sin we propose to attack," said Determination 



I 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 393 

to himself, ^'is a scorpion in the breast of society, and each of 
these before me, clotlied in ermine and silk and bedecked with 
jewels, has an immortal soul to save. ' ' 

The prophet sought the Angel in the home of Miss Sincere that 
he might learn God's thought concerning the surest way of 
destroying Satan's seductive snares for the souls of men. 

WEAi^" THE HEAET FKOM LOW DESIRES 

''How may we best save the people from the whirlpool?" 
asked Evangelist of the Angel. 

"By teaching the children of this generation the dangers of 
the wine-cup, and by instructing them to avoid the temptations 
which lead to it," replied the Angel. 

"Temperance principles are hard to inculcate when men and 
women thirst for strong drink," said the prophet. 

"A thirst for strong drink is Satan's millstone hung about 
the neck of this age. The people of God must arrest this appe- 
tite, else the foundations of the home and state shall perish,'' 
rejoined the Angel. 

"The Archfiend sets his gilded traps for each new genera- 
tion; and the laws of this Christian land help to damn it by 
legalizing the dram-shop," said Miss Sincere. 

"The Lord's people have done little to suppress this evil,", 
added the prophet. "Thousands upon thousands of inebriates 
die yearly like dogs, under the thraldom of the drink habit, and 
the prisons hold their thousands more, whom this curse has 
driven to crime. The battle is truly against the mighty. ' ' 



394 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



SENTIMENT IS AGAINST THE DKINK EVIL 

''The sentiment of the world is changing as to the drink evil," 
replied the Angel, ''and with the Glmrch aroused, and youth 
protected by truth, a better day must soon dawn." 

Then I saw that Evangelist set on foot a movement for the 
destruction of the drink evil; for he cried out fearlessly tlie 
anathemas of Jehovah against this sin, and instructed the hosts 
of the Lord to carry the campaign to the very bounds of Chris- 
tendom. 

Belial and his helpers trembled with fear as they witnessed 
the universal activity of God's people, and I beheld them hurry 
to the castle for conference, lest this curse should be blotted 
from the face of the earth. 

YOUTH IS DAZZLED BY THE GILDED PATH 

Within the City of Worldliness Satan had caused to be con- 
structed a secret passageway to the Whirlpool of Wine. Its 
entrance w^as gilded, and along its entire length were such 
alluring pictures that hosts of venturesome youths were daily 
dazed by its attractive appearance. This path led through the 
club-room, then through the saloon, and so on by devious ways 
until the whirlpool was reached. One of the Archfiend's arti- 
sans, known as Deception, had constructed this way in early 
times ; but in latter days he had renewed the pavement and sup- 
plied it with a wealth of satanic charms. 

"The temptations of this way must remain a secret, lest the 
Christians start in to opx)ose us, ' ' said Satan to Deception. 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 395 



''We shall say as little as possible,' and leave the rest to the 
protection of the law," was the reply. 

''Yes, but their influence may change existing laws. It 
requires a philosopher nowadays to elude those Christians, 
among whom is that enthusiast. Determination," replied Satan. 

THE GROG-SHOP IS PROTECTED 

"The path is safe from harm, and will be thronged for years 
if we can but induce the youth to enter it, ' ' replied Deception. 

"See to it, then, that sqciety folks set the pace, and you will 
find hundreds aping them," said the Archfiend. So saying, he 
and Deception went forth to add new touches of splendor to the 
Gilded Path. 

"There lies the sin which menaces this age," said the Angel 
to Determination, as she pointed to the door of the club-room 
through which thousands were taking their first steps toward 
the whirlpool. "Seduced b}^ social fads, they take chances with 
iniquity; and yearly, out of Christian homes, a great number 
choose the road which leads to death." 

"Where is the end of the Gilded Path?" asked Determina- 
tion. 

"Yonder upon the death sands of the beach. There lie the 
wrecks cast forth from the Whirlpool of Wine by the merciless 
tide," answered the Angel. 

HIDDEN THINGS SHALL BE REVEALED | 

Following in the steps of Evangelist, Determination conceived 
a plan and set forth with his helpers to execute it. 



396 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



''We must save tlie yontli of tliis generation from taking the 
Gilded Path," said Determination, ''for it leads to eternal 
destruction. ' ' 

"We shall follow thee in the name of the Lord," answered 
his valiant company. 

Then I saw the Angel give to Determination a light called 
the Lamp of Truth, which had power to reveal the hidden 
things of darkness; and with it, praising God, these heroes of 
the Cross went forth to expose the subtleties and dangers of 
this path of death. , 

TEAEING AWAY THE MASK 

With the aid of the wonderful lamp, they revealed to the 
eyes of men the hidden sins and dangers associated with the 
gaming-tables of fashionable society; and by its searching light 
they also revealed the secret doors of aristocratic clubs and 
crystal saloons. Its beams also discovered Satan's most 
affable demons guiding the young and uninitiated into the 
Gilded Path which led to shame and ruin. 

"Look! look!" cried Determination to a crowd of young 
men who had been attracted by his words. "Behold the infamy 
of the Devil." So saying, he turned the Lamp of Truth upon 
a gilded door, which Whole-soul then opened and held back. 
As its rays lighted up the way beyond, he cried again: 

TO MEET THIS LATTER END 

"Behold the horror of this way, all ye who have yielded to 
the tempting proposals of Satan! Every sin you enjoy brings 



T\^EECKS ALOXG THE SHOEE 



397 



you nearer to the vrliirlpool that shall suck yon down to ever- 
lasting damnation I All snch paths as this lead to it." 

The young men stood aghast as they perceived, by the aid of 
the penetrating light, that the path hack of the gilded door led 
direct to certain death : for the light in the hand of Determina- 
tion revealed also the dying wrecks upon the sands that 
bordered the Sea of Social Swirl. 

OUE SPIRITS BEEATHE IXFECTED AlE 

But this was not all. In the hands of Determination, the 
merciless rays of the Lamp of Truth swept the horizon, and then 
fell once more apon the City of AVorldliness. To the right and 
to the left they flashed and burrowed, everywhere exposing 
deatli-in-life to the awe-struck group that stood by God's stern- 
faced messenger. 

Blear-eyed patrons of the grog-shop turned their backs to its 
piercing beams ; painted wantons fell upon their faces in their 
brothel homes ; eA'il-doers of every kind hid themselves in holes 
and corners as the pitiless light wrapped them in its white 
embrace. Curses and blasphemy, piteous cries for succor, wails 
of anguish, arose on every side. 

"It is too terrible to behold!" cried AATiole-soul, covering his 
face with his hands, as he with others turned from the hideous 
spectacle. 

WHEEE THE DEVIL EEAPS HIS HARVEST 

"Hold!" entreated Determination. "Once they were as you; 
now they are bound in Satan's chains, and hopeless damnation 
is written upon their souls." 



398 



WEECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



Then, as the faces before him turned white with fear, his 
passionate appeal rang ont. 

' ' Behold the Devil 's harvest ! the harvest which the Destroyer 
of Sonls reaps behind doors which swing open to the lightest 
tonch. These, alive, yet dead, which you see, passed these 
portals and are doomed. It is yonr turn to enter now!'' 

IIT SATAN FETTEES 

\Yith an infinite tenderness in his voice he went on : 
''Oh, shnn the jeweled gateways of pleasant sins. Once they 
close behind yon, Satan's grinning demons will shackle yon to 
yonr Insts, and clasp the arms of wan remorse aronnd yonr 
necks. The gibbering spectre of what yon might have been 
shall mock yon, as yonr feet now tread easily in passion's well- 
worn paths. ^ 

''And then the end!" he cried in tones that swept even past 
his hearers and echoed down the bnsy street. "Not as the 
righteons die; no peaceful passing to Him who made you, as 
the purple shadows of closing day fall around your couch. 

OITLY Oi^E LOOK BEHIND 

"No! fiends shall stifle your cries for help as they bear you 
swiftly to your doom. AVill they never stop ? Yes, once. You 
shall have a look behind, and you shall see a shape set upon and 
beaten, time and time again, to the ground until it can rise no 
more. It is your better self, and in your hand is the weapon 
that struck it down. With this before your eyes, you shall be 
swallowed ujd in the eternal night of God's wrath." 



AVEECKS ALOXG THE SHOEE 



399 



SATAX SEXDS FOE KEIXFOECEMEXTS 

Tlie exposures made by the Lamp of Truth, in the hands of 
Determination, enraged Satan to snch a pitch that he sent for 
a band of his most desperate fiends to help him. by every means 
known to the powers of Hell, to extinguish the light. Bnt God 
strengthened the flame, and every attempt npon it utterly failed. 
Held aloft by the servant of God, its rays pierced the walls of 
mansion and hovel alike, revealing to all who would look the 
lust and sins that the Archfiend had made pleasant to the eye. 

Deception was with Satan, and I saw him cpiail as the steady 
searching of the light laid bare the plans for soul capture which 
had taken him centuries to conceive and execute. 

DECEPTIOX WOULD KILL WHOLE-SOUL 

Eushing into the saloon he shut to the door which AMiole-soul 
had kept open; and made a violent attempt to do him bodily 
harm. Doubtless he would have slain him had it not been for 
the intervention of the Angel, who now thrust herself between 
the two, as she thus commanded the fiend: 

"Stay thy cursed hand, thou infamous viper of the Pit I Thou 
canst not harm those who reveal to the eyes of men the damn- 
ing work conceived in thy iniquitous heart. Begone!" and so 
saying she turned to Determination and his company. 

Satan and Belial, and the rest of the fiendish band, had sought 
to conceal their presence from the eyes of the Angel by 
changing; their forms, but she had marked their presence and 



400 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



knew their purpose was to extinguisli the Lamp of Truth. As 
they slunk away she said to Determination and his helpers : 

" 'Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed inno- 
cent blood: . . . wasting and destruction are in their paths.' " 

As the last words of the Angel fell upon my ears, one by one 
the lights of the great city went out, and men, and women, too, 
sought their homes, wherever they might be, in the great 
Babylon. 

AT THEIR FEET THE CITY SLUMBERED 

Then I saw the rays of the Lamp of Truth fall upon the 
ground and run along it until they rested upon the steps of the 
Church of the Disciples. For a moment they lingered there, 
then rose past sculptured facade and painted window, until they 
rested, high above, upon the frieze that girdled the stone tinger 
pointing to the home of the Living God. There, in the diamond- 
white light, the effigies of the disciples of Jesus— those who had 
known and loved the Son of Him for whose worship this temple 
was reared looked out over the sleeping city, and to me they 
seemed to say: 

''We, too, have been living, suffering men. We chose the 
good and were rewarded by broader outlooks from higher 
slopes. 

LO ! THE RIGHT 's ABOUT TO COITQUER 

"Men, to-day, are at the turning of the ways, and because 
they, too, shall choose the good, they shall achieve mental health 
and vigor, clearer vision, and the keen pleasure that comes from 



WEECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



401 



the sense of awakened faculties. They shall do noble things, 
not dream them. ' ' 

The beams of the wonderful lamp fell again to the ground, 
and then were extinguished. I was alone in the silent street, tired 
in body, but happy in mind, for the drab miseries of humanity 
seemed well nigh fallen away, for now it was given me to know 
beyond per adventure that. His "fan is in his hand, and he 
will thoroughly purge his floor.'' 

The night won her coronal of stars, sparkling beyond dreams 
of splendor, and as I gazed into the vast blue above my head, a 
warm wind folded me in its embrace and wafted me away. 

THE BANQUET OF THE SELECT 

Vaguely I seemed to know that my course was along the 
city's streets, and soon I was set down before an imposing 
building, ablaze with light, through whose open doors the elite 
of the city were entering to participate in the Banquet of the 
Select. 

Unseen, I gained entrance to the hall, where thousands of 
dollars had been squandered upon the decorations alone, for 
the night's revelry. Obsequious servants passed choice viands 
and choicer wines to the laughing guests sitting at the glittering 
tables; from palm-hid recesses, strains of sensuous music lured 
to the dance; and soon the company, old and young alike, were 
whirling along the polished floor. 

Man-of-the-World, the political boss of the City of World- 
liness, bribe-giver, bribe-taker, had planned the banquet to 
further his predatory schemes, and now I saw him, in company 



402 



AVRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



with Hypocrite and other convivial associates, complacently 
beholding the debauch which had swiftly followed the feast. 
Behind them, nnseen by all eyes save mine, stood Satan with 
his mocking smile, and Belial with his baleful eyes. 

ONCE MOEE^ THE LAMP OF TKUTH 

And so the night wore on. Then when the eyes of the revel- 
lers were dimmed with wine, and when its fumes had weighted 
the atmosphere already heavy with the breath of dying flowers, 
the piercing rays of the Light of Truth flashed around the hall 
and rested upon the centre of its floor. 

''See how the Destro^^er of Souls has you in his power,'' cried 
Evangelist, who had entered with Determination, as he stepped 
to the spot where Satan, hitherto invisible, now stood in his 
proper form— as every presence must in the Light of Truth. 

Touching a spring in the wall, close by the Archfiend's hand, 
the prophet pressed it, and the central jDortion of the floor fell 
back on hinges, revealing a hideous pit. Then, as the white - 
faced throng huddled upon the narrow space that remained, he 
cried : 

''Behold the trap which Satan had cunningly arranged for 
you! See how he holds your souls in his hand!" pointing to 
wires which led to the spring by which the mechanism was 
operated. 

DOWN ! DOWN ! TO HELL 

"Soon, with dulled senses and heavy eyes, you would have 
stood upon the fatal spot, and once there, the lightest touch of 
his hand would have sent you to eternal destruction." 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



403 



^^TMs hall is but an anteroom of hell!" now came in the 
clear tones of the Angel, as she manifested herself to the scared 
revellers. 

''Flee from this place as from a j^estilence! Flee while yet 
there is time!" she entreated. 

Ere I realized it, the sobered company was gone, and then the 
Angel, turning to where the King and Prince of Evil stood in 
the full blaze of the Lamp of Truth, thus commanded them: 

''Begone! Thou fools who fancy Christ mistaken. Not one 
hair of these, m^y children, canst thou harm. Begone!" 

The discomfited fiends vanished, and only darkness remained. 

NEVER A KIGHT WITHOUT A DAY 

Upon the wings of the wind the Angel now visited the 
churches throughout the land, everwhere speaking by the 
mouths of God's ministers against the social sins which Satan 
made so alluring. Great unrest followed, and as time swept 
along, thousands upon thousands, thus warned against the pit- 
fall of the Gilded Path, chose the safe way. 

Besides these, wastrels, gamblers, reprobates of all sorts, were 
induced to forsake their easily besetting sins and turn to the 
Cross. 

Minister Good resolutely repelled each fresh attack of Satan 
upon the souls of those conmiitted to his care, but with Deter- 
mination—in whose eyes the fires of righteous battle always 
glared— and Whole-soul, aided by the counsels of Evangelist, 
waged an incessant warfare upon the Enemy of Mankind, as 
well. 



404 



WRECKS ALONG THE SHORE 



HIS MIGHTY ARMS UPHOLD THEE 

At the close of a day spent in work for tlie Master, the faith- 
ful band sat in the study of Minister Good. 

''We must not be ignorant of this one thing," Whole-soul 
was saying, ' ' ' that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, 
and a thousand years as one day.' Our impatience at results 
is due to our limitations." 

''Truly so," answered Evangelist. " 'Nevertheless we, 
according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
wherein dwelleth righteousness.' " 

"That promise shall be realized," said Determination, "for 
our God is marching on." 

"Then," suggested the minister, "let us pray for more of 
the knowledge God gives his children when they feel their igno- 
rance to be as vast as the fold of knowledge offered." 



CHAPTER XVIII 



His Majesty's Charity Fund 



"Unquestionably there is a personal Devil, full of 
malignity, perversity, and falsehood. He seeks his prey 
'as a roaring lion'; therefore, watch. He is 'your adver- 
sary' ; do not believe him. 

"Some there are that will go from Rome to England 
to make proselytes; but the Devil will go from one end 
of the world to the other, and walk from pole to pole, 
till he hath put a girdle about the loins of the earth, to 
make a man the child of hell like himself." 



NCE more, still in my dream, I found myself within the 



forbidding walls of Satan's Castle of All Evil, and saw, 



as if with actual vision, a mammoth vault filled with gold 
and silver and costly treasures of every description. Beings 
bearing lights were hurrying to and fro within the vault, and 
drawing nearer, I saw the Archfiend himself, directing the move- 
ments of a busy company of his fiends. 

While I meditated upon the scene, trying to discern its mean- 
ing, these words came to my ears: 



— Adams. 




23 — The Modern Devil. 



405 



406 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



Child of the vision, canst thou interpret what thou seestl" 

^^Nay, Good Angel," I replied, for I recognized the voice. 

^^This vault contains Satan's Charity Fund," she replied. 

According to the computation of this world, there are millions 
upon millions of wealth in its keeping. ' ' 

^'Why does Satan hoard up treasure!" I asked. ^'How can 
he use it?" 

AND BID you LIVE ADMIRED FEOM AGE TO AGE 

^'He does not hoard it," was the rej^ly, ^'but uses it to secure 
the souls of men, making them believe when they accept it, that 
they are doing good to their fellow-men." 

Satan's Charity Fund!" I repeated, in the confusion of the 
moment. 

"Dost thou still fail to comprehend!" asked the Angel. 
^ ' Truly I do, " I answered. 

''It is a good name for a means which serves a bad purpose. 
Satan 's gifts are given to men, that he may get their souls, ' ' she 
explained. 

"Do riches then come from the Devil!" I asked. 
' ' Many times they do, ' ' she answered. 

"I thought true riches were from God, and that He gave unto 
men the power to get wealth. ' ' 

' ' All true riches come from Him, ' ' replied the Angel, ' ' and such 
possessions harm no one." 

Then the Angel vanished and I was alone before the great vault 
where tireless fiends still sorted and labelled bribes for the souls 
of men. Soon both vault and demons vanished, as the Angel 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



407 



had done, and I was borne away to the parsonage of the Church 
of the Disciples. 

In the many hours I had spent, an unseen listener, in the study 
of Minister Good, I had learned much from the conversation of 
those gathered there from time to time. A spirit of genuine piety 
and love for mankind was ever present, and the views expressed 
showed that the speakers had made a careful study of prevailing 
conditions in the City of Worldliness. I had come to love the 
very atmosphere of the place, and now prepared my mind to 
grasp and retain what I was to hear. 

TBUE KELIGION AND UNDEFILED 

^^What, then, are we to count as riches?" asked the minister. 
Character first, for that is the foundation of all commendable 
wealth. 

''Next," he continued, ''I would place the love of others and 
the desire to do toward them as we would have them do to us; 
then, cheerfulness, faith, knowledge, and the respect of our 
fellow-beings. 

"Take down the dollar mark, and set up in its place something 
of this kind." 

''Life would then be much more sweet," observed Evangelist, 
' ' and more simple. Then what we gained should be ours forever, 
and with it we should have gained eternal wealth. ' ' 

"It seems to me," said Mrs. Good, "that it is not the amount 
of a man's possessions, so much as the spirit and purpose with 
which he wields his wealth, that is the vital consideration. ' ' 



408 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



' ' True, my dear, ' ' replied her husband. ^ ^ It takes a very great 
man so to handle riches as to save his own soul in the process, 
and to spread only beneficence among his family and fellow- 
men. ' ' 

i i There is certainly a close connection between plain living and 
high thinking," commented Evangelist. Human character 
cannot flourish in an atmosphere of luxury. ' ' 

HIS MOUTH FULL OF LOUD FUTILITIES 

^*We are constantly hearing," said Determination, who had 
been listening intently to the conversation, ' ^ of men who are noted 
for two things: first, their wealth, and then their religion— 
which may also be said to contain their philanthropy. 

' ' Now, in spite of the fact that these men have donated many 
millions of their money to charitable and educational purposes, 
the world at large seldom regards them with much favor." 

Religious emotion and sentiments of charity, propriety and 
self-denial seem to have taken the place of notions of justice 
and regard for the rights of others," replied Evangelist, to 
whom Determination had addressed himself. ' ^ And I believe, ' ' 
he went on, ' ' that no amount of religion or riches can save such 
men as you have described from the just estimation of their 
fellow-men. ' ' 

TEACHING BY EXAMPLE 



i i There is something fine and satisfying in a man who is con- 
sistent in his churchmanship— who lives up to the tenets of his 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



409 



belief and is as regular in his sacred as in liis secular duties,'' 
said the minister, "but there is little to admire in one who 
forgets 'the weightier matters of the law,' and no matter how 
great may become his bank account, and how high his position 
in the world, he is poor. ' ' 

LINKED WITH ONE VIKTUE AND A THOUSAND CRIMES 

"Such people remind me," said the minister's wife, "of the 
robber barons of the Middle Ages, who, when brought under 
Christianity, salved their consciences by splendid gifts to the 
people, of churches and public works." 

"To me there is something almost brutal in a multi-million- 
aire putting his hand in his pocket and tossing out a church 
here, a hospital there, and endowments, libraries, fountains, 
parks, as one might throw pennies to children in the street," 
replied her husband. 

"Sometimes it is the following generation that seeks to make 
atonement," said Mrs. Good. "Only yesterday I was reading 
of two men who were admiring a handsome structure— a recent 
gift to the city. 

" 'Who did you say was the donor?' asked one. 

" 'The children of Mr. ,' naming a very wealthy citi- 
zen then deceased, was the reply. 

" 'I knew him,' rejoined the other. 'They are evidently 
trying to make up for their father's delinquencies. Probably 
the next generation will want to canonize him.' " 



410 HIS MAJESTY CHARITY FUND 



THESE THINGS WELL DESERVE MEDITATING 

Among the dangers which threaten those who apparently 
care for nothing but the accumulating of wealth, is this/' 
observed Evangelist. 

''The cares, distractions, and social ambitions which riches 
and power and place bring with them; the rounds of visits and 
dinners and functions, make it difficult for the rich parent to 
give the child its due— to fulfill the impulse of the true parents 
to live with and for their children. 

''The child can thrive only in an atmosphere of love and 
heartiness and companionship. The children of the rich are 
deprived of this too often. 

FOR THE PERIL-HOUR HAS COME 

"Let the modern man with a genius for money-getting 
beware, he continued with great earnestness, "lest in his 
eagerness for riches, the souls of his children as well as his 
own perish at its blighting touch." 

With these words. Evangelist and Determination took leave 
of the minister and his wife, and left the parsonage together. 
As they did so, I seemed to fall asleep. When I waked, I saw 
Mr. Hypocrite sitting in the familiar room in earnest conver- 
sation with Minister Good. 

AN INSTINCT FOR REAL DUTIES 

I was not altogether surprised to see him there, for of late he 
had been much in my mind, and I had fancied him weary of the 
life he had been leading. 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



411 



All of the man's good impulses had not been stifled. His 
association with Man-of-the-World in dishonest enterprises 
had seared his conscience severely, and the love of wealth and 
power was still strong within him. 

Yet, Mr. Hypocrite had been, of late, in some degree heeding 
the promptings of his better nature, and as a sort of compro- 
mise in the matter had now called upon the minister, vaguely 
hoping that he might hear something that would help to settle 
the inward disquietude which was his hourly companion. 

Something of this occurred to me as I remembered his stand 
for the right in the matter of the Divorce Mills. I recalled, 
too, that his term of office as mayor of the city had expired, 
and that, although he appeared as a guest of Man-of-the-World 
at the Banquet of the Select, his political relations with the 
^^boss" were a thing of the past. 

IN YAm THOU WEEPEST, IN VAIN DOTH YEARN 

*'I am coming to believe," Hj^pocrite was saying, '^that the 
love of money is the curse of thousands." 

''It is 'the root of all evil,' " replied the minister. "Many a 
soul is so weighted to earth by the burden of wealth that when 
the hour comes to depart, this treasure is a matter of sad 
concern. I have seen hundreds pitifully idolizing their gold 
in the very hour of death." 

"I cannot think it was intended to be a curse," insisted 
Hypocrite. 

"It was not intended to be a curse. Man made it so," was 
the reply. 



412 HIS MAJESTY'S CHAEITY FUND 

^ ^ The sin, then, seems to be in setting the heart so upon riches 
as to exchide thoughts of the higher lifeT' asked Hypocrite. 

^'Jnst so," the minister replied, '^and what a picture of the 
vanity of trusting in material things Job gives: 

" ^Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare 
raiment as the clay; he may prepare it, but the just shall put it 
on, and the innocent shall divide the silver. He buildeth his 
house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh. The 
rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered : he openeth 
his eyes, and he is not.' " 

IN^ THY GIFT IS WISDOM 's BEST AVAIL 

After a moment of silence. Hypocrite said : ^ ^ I hardly know, 
Mr. Good, why I came here to-night, unless it be that I am led 
to do so in the hope of receiving advice regarding the disposi- 
tion of a part of my wealth. ' ' 

''I am very glad that you came to me, Mr. Hypocrite," 
replied the minister, ''for I can help you. If you have among 
your possessions wealth honestly come by, wealth upon which 
there is no taint— no widows' tears or orphans' cries, endow 
with it the mission enterprise started by Miss Sincere here in 
this city. Forgive my jjlain-speaking, " he added. 

Hypocrite's face crimsoned, as the minister's words whipped 
his blood like a wind from the hills. For a moment he was 
silent, and then he said: 

''I thank you." Then, rising, he extended his hand to the 
minister, who had also risen. Without another word the two 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHAEITY FUND 



413 



men parted, and as the door closed behind Hypocrite, I saw 
the faithful servant of God kneel beside his chair and thank 
the throne of infinite mercy that his words had touched the 
heart of an erring brother. 

WHEI^- FOETUM SHEDS HEE FAIEEST BEAMS 

As Hypocrite attended to the ordinary concerns of his busi- 
ness during the remainder of the day, his thoughts often 
recurred to the faithful words of Minister Good. He was novv^ 
possessed of an immense fortune, and as the day wore on he 
reviewed, from time to time, the sources from which it was 
acquired. 

Xearly, if not quite all the money he had accumulated by 
connivance at the robberies of Man-of-the-World and his 
political associates during his term as mayor, he had invested 
in an enterprise which was housed in a collection of mammoth 
buildings covering a full square on the outskirts of the city. 

Late in the day he left the office, and entering his carriage, 
he instructed his coachman to drive past these mills, instead 
of taking the more direct way to his residence in the fashion- 
able section of the city. Why he did this, he could not have 
answered even to himself. 

As his carriage rolled noiselessly along the streets, he aban- 
doned himself to thoughts which ran through his entire term of 
office in the great city where his whole life had been spent. 
This transaction had brought him so much money; that had 
enabled him to gratify this ambition— but always with dirty 
money— money that was tainted, tainted. 



414 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



Darkness had fallen when the great works were reached, and, 
obeying a sudden impulse, Hypocrite signalled the coachman 
to stop, stepped to the street, and then sent the carriage home. 

The section of the city where he stood was deserted, save for 
pacing policemen on their lonely beats, and the watchmen about 
the large mills and hulking warehouses that stood dark and 
grim against the sky. 

TKEAD THOSE REVIVING PASSIONS DOWN 

Were not these great buildings his? he asked himself. The 
product of the untiring machines they contained— was it not 
his to do with as he liked? To whom need he account for the 
wealth his scheming brain had brought him? 

Nervously, he walked along one side of the great quadrangle, 
unable to dismiss from his mind the means by which he had 
been able to acquire this goodly property. With ceaseless 
iteration these words rang in his ears : 

"Heavy to get and light to hold, 
Hoarded, bartered, bought and sold." 

A cloud which had hidden the moon, sailed past, letting its 
light fall in a silver glow upon the scene. 

"What shall I do with all this when death shall come to tell 
me the story that we all must hear?" he said half aloud^ and 
turned away. 

THIS IS THE PORTION OF A WICKED MAN 

Turning, as he reached an intersecting street for one more 
look at the great works which were his pride. Hypocrite saw 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHAEITY FUND 415 



a tongue of flame leap from one of the buildings, blood-red 
against the sky. Black smoke began to ooze through the 
windows, and then a rush of swirling flame burst from windows 
and doors alike. 

Clouds of pungent vapor arose as swift flashes of flame 
sprang from one building to another, and then the red spires 
and pillars of fire united in one vast sheet of flame. Dull, 
heavy clouds of smoke now spread over the scene, and under 
their pall, scarlet gleams, changing to purple and blue, flashed 
continuously. 

In this huge, flaming pit, enclosed by outer blackness. Hypo- 
crite read the answer to his questions, and as the full meaning 
of it swept across him, he reeled and fell to the ground as 
consciousness left him. 

'The fool hath said in his heart. There is no God!' " said 
the voice of the Angel beside me. 

THOU WILT SHOW ME THE PATH OF LIFE 

On the following day, I saw Hypocrite in his office, waiting 
the arrival of Evangelist, for whom he had sent. He was 
somewhat shaken in body and mind by the event of the night 
previous, but his face revealed the presence of a fixed resolve. 

''My son," said the prophet, by way of greeting, "the hand 
of the Lord hath been laid heavily upon thee, but it is given 
me to know that a blessing shall surely follow." 

"I have sent for you," Hypocrite began, "to say that I am 
a man who has persistently closed my heart to good. With 



416 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHAEITY FUND 



Tvide-open eyes I have accepted the suggestions of Satan and 
blindly followed where he led. 

^ ' Time and time again, ' ' he went on, ' ' I have done the will of 
Satan, conscious that my actions would militate against thy 
labors and those of the Angel of Ministry. I will not catalogue 
all my offenses against God, but I wish to say, now that my 
eyes have been opened, that throughout it all your face has 
been constantly before me in reproach, and has helped to make 
my life a bitter one." 

AITD WIN"GED FOE YOU THEIK BENEDICTIONS RISE 

^^Hath Satan approached thee recently?" inquired the 
prophet. 

^'Only yesterday he proposed a scheme by which he said I 
should receive great approbation, not to say honor," was the 
reply. 

^'And thou didst not yield!" 

' ' The Angel strengthened me to refuse. When Satan offered 
me an immense sum, saying, 'Thou art welcome to distribute 
this among the poor. It shall procure thee the distinction of 
being not only rich, but of being a man of generous heart,' she 
whispered in my ear: 

'' 'Give thy gold as the Lord shall direct thee. Give only as 
Love prompts, and seek always to conceal thyself as the donor. 
Let not thy right hand know what thy left hand doeth. ' 

" 'The act will add great glory to thy years,' Satan went on, 
'and thousands shall rise up and call thee blessed.' 

'' 'See thou do it not!' " persisted the Angel. 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



417 



^^And thou wert able to say, 'Get thee behind me, Satan'! 
I thank the Lord for this ! ' ' cried the prophet. 

MY STEPS HAD WELL-NIGH SLIPPED 

^'I have just written a letter to Miss Sincere," Hypocrite 
went on, ''offering to endow her mission enterprise among the 
poor. I have made the offer in acknowledgment of God's 
many blessings to me." 

"This act of thine shall be blessed," replied the prophet. 

' ' Man-of -the-World hath accepted the Archfiend's gold and 
endowed the Art Museum," continued Evangelist, "and is 
receiving much commendation for his generous gift." 

"But what shall it profit him?" asked Hypocrite. 

"It will but bar the door of the vault," replied Evangelist. 
"Dost thou remember the door seen in thy dream!" 

"That vision has never been erased from my thought; and 
your words have been engraven within my heart through all 
these years," confessed Hypocrite. 

' ' The vision was of the Lord for thy salvation ; and my words 
of warning were His repeated. It is hard to oppose the will 
of the Almighty," said the prophet. 

"And God alone knows what I have suffered here, even in 
moments of wrong-doing, ' ' added Hypocrite as he laid his hand 
upon his heart. 

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept — 

Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung? 
The word we had not sense to say — 
Who knows how grandh- it had rung? 



418 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



"Our faults no tenderness should ask, 

The chastening stripes must cleanse them all; 
But for our blunders, — oh, in shame, 
Before the eyes of Heaven we fall," 

quoted Evangelist. 

THE WICKED IN HIS PEIDE 

As they parted, the Angel, unseen by them, lifted her hands 
above them as her lips moved in benediction. 

I then saw in my vision a company who were treading with 
iron heel upon the poor, and noted the cries of the helpless, and 
the stolid indifference of the masters who marched boldly on, 
with no sense of feeling or manifest sympathy. I marked how 
the Good Angel followed, and stooped often to lay a kind touch 
upon the downtrodden. She sighed within her soul as she 
looked upon the heartless taskmasters. 

Drawing near, I asked of her who these tyrants were. 

She replied, These are they who in their haste to obtain 
riches, oppress the laboring class by whom their riches are 
gathered. ' ' 

^^But those who tread upon the men and women of toil bear 
the beautiful name of the Christ, ' ' I answered in surprise. 

THEIR HOPE OF DELIVERANCE IS YET SMALL 

^^It is true in many instances," she answered. ^'Refusing 
them just compensation, they reduce those who toil for their 
enrichment to want and x)enury, and often remain untouched 
in heart by the hungry cry of little children." 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



419 



'^Is this, then, the ^Christian Age' we boast of!" 

'^Man calls it thus, but as yet it is much mixed with evil. 
Covetousness is to-day the world's greatest sin." 

^^Yes," I answered, '^but it seems so strange that men 
should gather fortunes and yet have no conscience as to the 
manner by which it was gathered." 

''A change is being wrought as time wears on. Man is 
prone to exaggerate the importance of those whose name is a 
synonym for millions; and, forgetting the rich in faith and 
good works, imagine God to be asleep," said the Angel. 

^^The new earth and the new Heaven seem so far away to 
such as view spiritual advance by the eyes of sense," said I. 

^'It is true," she replied, ^'but, hidden beneath the under- 
growth of this materialistic age, the patient flowers of God's 
planting are making preparations to bloom, and their fra- 
grance will be recognized and their beauty seen, when the 
Angels of righteousness shall rake away the dead leaves of 
man's avaricious self-seeking." 

'^That time seems so far off." 

m THE HUNGER TOWER STERN THINGS HAPPEN 

^^Nevertheless it is coming," replied the Angel. 

^'The Lord shall break in pieces the oppressor. ^I will come 
near to you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness . . . 
against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, 
and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his 
right . . . saith the Lord of hosts.' " 



420 HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



As the Angel sped on, I found myself alone, and as I looked 
away toward the Hill of the Cross, in my heart was the prayer : 

"Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." 

Again I found myself in the parsonage, where a little com- 
pany was discussing Hypocrite's gift to the mission school. 

Scores of these children will carry the blessing of this gift 
with them out into life, and no one will ever know about the 
endowment, either. That to me is the divine way of giving, ' ' 
said Miss Sincere to Minister Good. 

^^God knows all about it," interjected Evangelist. 

^^Yes," answered the minister, '^even the cup of cold water 
given in the name of a disciple is recognized and blessed." 

THE CSUSADE FOR CONSECRATED WEALTH 

"There are too many of our churches and religious institu- 
tions to-day who are taking gold from the hands of the inglorious 
rich," said Evangelist. 

"Many give for the sake of notoriety, and others to cover 
up some sin of craftiness; the world is yet full of scheming, 
and the Devil passes out many dollars for holy uses, and laughs 
to see the eagerness with which the Church grasps them," 
added the minister. 

"I never yet saw an unconsecrated dollar do any good. It 
comes of the Devil, and he is shrewd enough to see that he is 
not the loser in his own transactions," replied Miss Sincere. 

"His vault is full of unconsecrated dollars," said Evan- 




421 



See p. /f08. 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



423- 



gelist, "and tliey have been doing damage to the kingdom 
since the world began. The Lord in whose name we serve 
insists npon consecrated wealth." 

At this point in the conversation Whole-soul and Determina- 
tion entered, and were welcomed by the three. 

"AYe just heard Deception say to Satan that one could do 
more with a dollar nowadays than with the Bible," said 
Determination. 

"Yes," added Whole-soul, "and Satan informed him of one 
who had covered up a great theft by his generosity to a school 
of learning." 

WHO HAS IT ENRICHED f 

^ ' What a blessing honestly gotten wealth may be ; and on the 
other hand, what a curse the gold taken from the Archfiend's 
treasury may become," added Minister Good. 

"We can close the Archfiend's vaults forever," said Deter- 
mination, "if the conscience of God's children is aroused. We 
have thwarted the Enemy before, and we can do it again in the 
name of the Lord." 

" 'Consecrated wealth' shall be the ringing watchword of 
God's servants. We are living in the day when upon the bells 
of the horses must be inscribed 'Holiness unto the Lord,' " 
answered the prophet. 

' ' Christian people must be taught the sacredness of possession ; 
and be shown how God honors the gift which is honestly won 
and reverently used," replied Determination. 

24 — The Modern Devil. 



421 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHAEITY FUND 



WOKK AND DESPAIR NOT 

Then I saw this band of valiant souls go forth to liberate 
the world from the thraldom of greed and perverted impulse, 
and marked that the Angel led the way; that their message 
was seasoned with the spirit of Jesus; and that assurance of 
victory reigned supreme in their hearts. 

As they passed through the land the Church became conscious 
of her sin, and a sense of individual responsibility for the wiser 
use of riches in the maintenance of Christian philanthropy 
entered the heart ; and the cause of Christ, which had languished, 
began to receive a portion of that which the Giver of All Good 
had bestowed, but which had been withheld. 

"The Lord's people must arise. The Lord's people must 
welcome the privilege of furthering the interests of the Cross; 
and thus render the gift of unconsecrated wealth both a shame 
and a disgrace," was the warning message of Determination 
and his band. 

PROVE ME, SAITH THE LORD 

"There shall be no lack," said the Angel, "when the Lord's 
people bring their tithes into the treasury; then, too, shall the 
windows of Heaven be open, and the showers of divine blessing 
shall descend." , 

Thus did I behold the word of God going forward; and in 
the distance I saw the f oregleam of a new day in which the 
disciples of the Nazarene should distribute their gold accord- 
ing to the necessities of the Messiah's kingdom. In that day, 
they who believed should be of one accord, and, continuing 



I 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



425 



in gladsome co-operation with the plan of their Master, they 
would eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart. 

The i3raises of God were heard throughout the land, and the 
signs of the coming kingdom everywhere appeared; for the 
wilderness and the hitherto solitary places became glad, and 
the Rose of Sharon began to bloom in the desert of man's 
covetous heart. 

THE KING HAS NO LACK 

Satan sat in the doorway of the great vault that held his 
Charity Fund, awaiting the return of Deception and Belial, and 
the report of what they had been able to do with his accursed 
gold. 

"They preach a gospel of 'consecrated wealth,' and, in 
consequence, the treasury of the Church more than suffices the 
need of their King," said Deception as they approached. 

"It is no fault of ours," added Belial, seeing Satan was 
angry. "No one would take any gold but Man-of -the-World. " 

Without a word of reply, Satan barred the door of the vault, 
and passed down the corridor, cursing furiously. 

WHAT SHALL IT PKOFIT A MAN? 

Man-of-the-World sat in his office counting a pile of money 
recently pilfered from a helpless public, with a smile of satis- 
faction playing upon his face. Then, as he placed the bank- 
notes in a safe he said to himself: "I '11 keep this. Yes, I '11 
keep it, and not a cent will I give again to philanthropic objects. 



426 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



The honor of the other gift was very short-lived, and has not 
compensated for the ridicule and abuse that have been heaped 
upon me." 

''Thy gold shall perish with thee," whispered the Angel. 
''Thy ill-gotten gold and silver are as vile in the sight of the 
Almighty as the treasures within the vault of the Archfiend. 
It was from his fund that thy gift to the museum came." 

Man-of-the-World shuddered for a moment at the words of 
the Angel, but gaining his composure passed from his office 
saying, "It all goes in a lifetime." 

MY ONE DESIKE SHALL BE 

Then I listened to a familiar voice. It was that of Hypo- 
crite. 

"It is never too late to mend, and it may be true that 'we 
always may be what we might have been,' " he said. "I will 
at least make restitution, and begin again. The long, wasted 
years ! the long, wasted years ! All I have and am shall be 
consecrated to God." 

The message of Evangelist had found its way to his heart, 
and at last was preparing the soil for a better harvest. 

Within a lonely cottage I saw Widow Faith in the attitude 
of prayer, and heard her say: 

" 'Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I 
Thee.' " She was giving herself in loving devotion to the 
work of teaching the youth in the mission school founded by 
Miss Sincere and endowed by Hypocrite. 



HIS MAJESTY'S CHARITY FUND 



427 



Evangelist and the minister were reviewing the cause of the 
Master whom they served; and as the latter closed a book in 
which the record of his service was kept, he said, ''The better 
day is coming, ' ' to which the prophet replied : 

"Each tribute and expression 
With an holy radiance shine, 
Lighting up earth's lower levels 
With a light which is divine." 



CHAPTER XIX 



The Pilgrim's Scars 



" 'A bruised reed shall he not break' ; that is, He 
will not bear hard upon a wounded and contrite and 
truly humble heart, bowed down with a sense of its 
infirmity. 'And the smoking flax shall he not quench'; 
the faintest spark of returning virtue he will not ex- 
tinguish by severity . . ." — Bishop Porteous. 



GREAT sorrow, the greatest of his life, was tenting 



outside Hypocrite's home, and though he looked through 



polished windows, his eyes saw it not. But the Angel 
knew that it was there, and when God marked the hour, it 
entered with silent step and laid its hand upon the man's heart. 
It was to be a new experience in Hypocrite's life, and he was 
to profit by its stern teachings. 

I saw him seated by the bedside of the wife he idolized, and 
in my vision noted that a fatal disease was slowly extinguish- 
ing the fires of her life, and that Hypocrite realized that the 
passing of a soul long trusted and cherished was now but a 
matter of moments. 




428 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



429 



Taking lier frail hand in liis, lie pressed it, as he looked 
tenderly into the eyes which had grown oblivious to the things 
of time. A life all unconscious of his presence was crossing 
the bar; and in the agony of his grief he was conscious of 
emotions which for years had lain dormant within his cold 
and materialistic nature. 

''Must we part, and part forever f he sobbed, as, with face 
buried in the pillow by her side, he wept bitterly. Hypocrite 
had reached his first real life-sorrow. 

Then he was alone, and the stars seemed to have burned out 
with the departure of the one he loved. The burden of his 
grief pressed heavily, and his soul cried out to God from the 
depths of its despair. 

''0 God, give to me thy sustaining grace. Sutfer not this 
great sorrow to crush me.'' 

The mansion was hushed in darkness out of respect to the 
dead; and in an upper room, all alone, sat the helpless and 
broken man, his soul struggling 'twixt hope and fear, 'twixt 
love and sorrow, as he sought in vain to solve the enigma of 
the trying hour. 

Then it was that I saw a white-robed one, whom I thought to 
be a stranger, approach the dwelling. As the moonlight fell 
softly upon his snowy beard, I knew it was Evangelist, and 
that he had come to minister in God's name to the stricken 
man. 

I saw him linger for a moment before the door; placing his 
hand upon his brow, he breathed silently a prayer for the 
Father's guidance in this work of love. The door yielded to 



430 



THE PILGEIM'S SCAES 



Ms hand and then closed behind him. Slovrly he ascended the 
stairs and passed into the room where sat the bereaved one. 
Taking a seat beside him. the old prophet laid his hand upon 
the stricken man's shoulder and said: 

"^ow thou hast sorrow, but in each affliction God conceals 
a blessing." 

HyiDocrite sat silent. 

PASS UXDER THE EOD 

Where our treasure is there our hearts will be tending. 
The stairway to our Father's house grows clear to our vision 
when once, through tears, we have seen our loved ones ascend." 
continued the prophet. 

'^It is all dark, so dark." answered HyiDOcrite. 

" 'At evening time it shall be light,' " responded Evangelist. 
''Thou must have faith. The Lord doth not willingly afflict 
the children of men. He hath comforts for their bruised 
hearts. A'\Tiat God doeth we cannot now explain: but we shall 
know in His good time.'\ 

So sa^vung, I saw Evangelist kneel by the side of the sorrow- 
ful man; and in the hush, broken only by the sobs of a smitten 
heart, he prayed: 

"Divine Master, Thou who didst sorrow with the sorrowful; 
and mingle Thy tears in s^^npathy with such as mourned, abide 
in this home, and speak again Thy message of love, of peace, 
and life immortal. Point the darkness with the stars of 
promise; and give to Thy servant the comfort and blessing of 



THE PILGEIM'S SCABS 



431 



Thy immediate and constant presence. May his heart be 
opened to hear Thy voice in this bereavement; and may his 
soul be freed to follow the beckoning of Thy life which was so 
mneh a part of his own. ' ' 

lis" THE PREPARED, APPOIXTED WAY 

When the prophet arose, Hypocrite remained kneeling, still 
moved by his great emotion. Laying his hand again upon the 
stricken man's shonlder, Evangelist then said: 

^'The Lord shall make all things clear. He will not give 
thee a burden greater than thou canst bear. The Lord bless 
and keep thee." 

So saying, the prophet departed, and in his stead the Angel 
came and tarried. 

When Miss Sincere learned of the prophet's visit and his 
words of comfort, she said, as she recalled her visit in his com- 
pany to the home of little Theodore, where sorrow had also 
entered: "It is just like him; for even as his Master, he goeth 
about doing good, and the comforts of God are in his keeping. 
It is a blessed office, that of giving joy for sorrow, and 
discovering to saddened hearts the flowers of blessing which 
grow beneath the briars of the valley of the heart." 

MEMORY STILL KEEPS CARNIVAL 

Hypocrite rose from his knees, and crossing the room, threw 
open the shutters of a window that faced the west. Standing 



432 



THE PILGRIM'S SCAES 



there, lie forgot the folded hands, the awful calm in his home, 
and lived again the "bright days when gayly sings the world." 

In the glow that bathed the evening sky, tender memories 
floated np, and he saw only the soft eyes and heard the name 
of that dearer self now lying with her white face turned toward 
the skies. 

Then the air seemed still, as dull, heavy clouds spread along 
the rim of the horizon and blotted out the glories of the dying- 
day. A vivid flash of lightning dazzled his eyes, and then, for 
an instant, everything seemed of pitchy darkness. Before his 
eyes recovered from the blinding glare, he was conscious of a 
shadowy presence beside him, and shudderin^ly knew it for 
that of the enemy of souls. 

WHEN THE ACCUSEE FLINGS HIS DAKTS 

"Canst thou reconcile a loss so great as thine with faith in 
a just Godr' it whispered. "Thou hast been cruelly treated, 
and art justified in meeting this blow with a rebellious spirit." 

" 'Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him,' " whispered 
the Angel. 

Torn by mingled emotions, the soul of Hypocrite was as wheat 
upon the threshing-floor under the strokes of the flail. Remem- 
bering the counsel of the prophet, he struggled to repeat the 
words of the Angel, making them the language of his feeble 
faith. 

" 'Though— He— slay— me— yet— ' " and then could go no 
further. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



433 



Trust Him when He hath torn from thy breast one whom 
thou lovedst!" still inquired Satan. Trust one who has 
struck thee down by so heartless an actT' 

'Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for 
us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we 
look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which 
are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but 
the things which are not seen are eternal,' whispered the 
Angel. 

''Thou art entitled to a life of peace, and thy years should 
have remained undisturbed. Hadst thou not broken with me, 
I would have given thee the desire of thy heart, but now thine 
hands are empty, and thou art left in pain and sorrow,'' 
taunted Satan. 

LOOK DOWN ON ME, FOR I AM WEAK 

Hypocrite seemed surrounded by a mist of torment, as within 
his soul he was striving to master his oppressor. Again slowly 
came the words: 

*' 'Though— He— slay— me— yet— ' " 

Then I saw the Angel lay her hand upon him, and with her 
touch came an unction of power. 

"Defy the Archfiend," she whispered. "Suffer him no 
longer to tempt thee to doubt." 

With the feeble beginnings of a faith which was born of God, 
Hypocrite cried out: 

"Get thee behind me, Satan, for thy words are as sharp 



434 THE PILGRIM'S SCAES 

arrows to my soul. I have broken my allegiance to thee; yes, 
broken it forever 

Satan stood abashed, for these words, born of a new faith, 
spread terror in his soul. 

'^The Enemy would sift thee as wheat, but the Lord, thy 
Kedeemer, prayeth for thee, that thy strength shall not fail. 
Cast thy burden upon Him, for he careth for thee,'' persisted 
the Angel. 

ON THE CROSS OF CHEIST RELYING 

Then I saw a wondrous sight; for, at the Angel's command, 
a strange, but beauteous light came streaming into the soul of 
Hypocrite from over the Hill of the Cross. It came from the 
door of an open sepulchre which stood in a garden, wherein 
once lay the World's Eedeemer and whence He arose, bringing 
life and immortality to light. Satan saw it, too, and fled. 

Then I h^ard the Angel say: 

^'It is by this light that all souls must interpret their sorrow." 
And as she spoke the light arose, and for a moment seemed to 
rest upon the peak of the far-off mountain, while within its 
divine effulgence the faint outlines of a celestial city could be 
traced. 

^'Thou hast now seen a part of the road of faith, along 
which, by means of thy grief, thy soul must journey," said 
the Angel. ^^But the best is yet to be," she added. 

''I will follow the road and may God give me grace," 
answered Hypocrite. 

^^It shall be well with thee," was the reply. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCAES 



435 



EACH CONFLICT WITH INDWELLING SIN 

Then I understood that it had been given me to look in upon 
the unseen battletield which lies in every human heart; that 
field on which meet, at some time, the two opposing forces— 
doubt and faith— and which, in some lives, occasions constant 
unrest. I saw that, though to mortal eyes the struggle remains 
unseen and its fierceness of combat unreckoned, God ever 
watches the conflict and crowns the victor when the fierce fight 
for good is won. 

"Yes," said Evangelist later, "each pilgrim shall have his 
scars; and if those scars be the evidence of a victorious faith, 
they are known in Heaven as the marks of the Lord Jesus; 
and to wear them is distinction and honor." 

EACH AFFLICTION IS GOd's MESSENGER 

"Everything hath worked together for my good," said 
Hypocrite, as he sat with the minister some days after. "The 
path was both rough and steep, and on either side were the 
temptations and chidings of the Enemy; but it led to the open 
ground." 

"Yes," replied Ministor Good. "Thou canst take this 
message to thyself, now," and so saying he opened his Bible 
and read : 

' ' ' For thou, God, hast proved us : thou hast tried us, as 
silver is tried. Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst 
affliction upon our loins. Thou hast caused men to ride over 



I 



436 THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 

our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou 
broughtest us out into a wealthy place.' 

''So it has been with my soul; and I now believe with the 
Angel that, ' the best is yet to be. ' " 

"The way grows brighter as we near the perfect day,'' 
assented the minister. 

Soon Hypocrite, with a new spirit, was much in the company 
of Evangelist, and I began to see them together helping those 
whom sorrow had overcome. 

"They who wear the cross can carry the oil of sympathy," 
answered Hypocrite. 

"Yes," responded the prophet, "we are to comfort others 
with the same comfort wherewith we have been comforted of 
God." 

"That not only makes our service tender, but very real," 
added Hypocrite. 

IN THE SEAT OF THE SCOKNFUL 

Man-of-the-World and Rev. Mr. Please-all laughed in derision 
as they spoke of the new role of Hypocrite. 

"He 's a fine specimen to undertake religious work," said 
Man-of-the-World. 

"Suri^rises never seem to end," commenL^d Mr. Please-all. 
"Probably the prophet has turned his head." 

"Certainly his heart cannot be in the work," added Man-of- 
the-World. 

Within the hearts of both the Angel whispered, ' ' Judge not, ' ' 
and hurried away. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



437 



At last Satan met Mr. Hypocrite and sneeringly accosted 
him. ''So thou, too, hast become one of His followers!" 

"I have sworn allegiance to Jesus, and may God forgive the 
past; henceforth our ways part, and as a disciple of the 
Nazarene, I desp^e both thee and thy works," answered Hypo- 
crite with great emphasis. 

"Ha! ha! Thou art a unique disciple. Who will believe 
in thee?" ejaculated the Archfiend, and with a mocking laugh 
he passed on. 

' ' ' The Lord bless thee, and keep thee : the Lord make his 
face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift 
up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace,' " prayed 
the Angel who, though invisible, guarded the steps of Hypo- 
crite, redeemed. 

THE CONSECKATED CROSS I 'lL BEAR 

An errand of mercy had brought Evangelist and Hypocrite 
into the Valley of the Cross, and at sunset, with the sky crim- 
soned by the touch of Nature's pencil, I saw the two looking 
intently toward the Cross upon the Lonely Hill. 

"Yonder He died for our sins," said the prophet. 

Then in the silence of reverent meditation, their eyes wan- 
dered far beyond Calvary till the scene was interrupted by the 
hills and mountains of Galilee. 

"There remaineth yet a cross for each who would follow 
Him," said Hypocrite. 

"Yes, a cross for each, but 'faith has still its Olivet.' " 



438 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



'And love its Galilee/ " answered Evangelist. 
As night wore on, the two wended their way to the city, and 
at the home of Minister Good met with Determination and 
Whole-soul, who had a wonderful discovery to relate. 

THE DESTRUCTION OF SATAN 's CASTLE FORETOLD 

"We have seen a strange thing to-day, while tarrying for 
rest upon the Hill-lands of Faith," said Whole-soul. "It 
should inspire great valor in the heart of every Christian. I 
will ask Determination to relate it; for it was he who made 
the discovery." 

Then Determination told how that day while turning the 
Lamp of Truth upon the castle of the Archfiend, he had dis- 
covered by its light a great crack in one of its walls; which 
predicted the doom of the place which hitherto had been 
thought impregnable. 

"Art thou sure of thy vision!" asked the minister. 

"I am positive; for both mine eyes and those of Whole-soul 
saw clearly the rent." 

"Why should such a fact be considered incredible?" asked 
Evangelist. 

"Did the Archfiend also detect it?" asked Hypocrite. 

"We saw him gaze upon the place where our light shone; 
and then, shielding his eyes, he, together with a number of 
imps, hurried within," answered Determination. 

"We spoke of it to the Angel," said Whole-soul, "and she 
informed us that the day should come when the place shall be 
destroyed. ' ' 




Modern Deril. Copyright. J.'vo.?, b]t W. W. Jl-mston. 



'^'With face buried in the pillow, he wept bitterly." 

440 See p. m. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCAES 



441 



*^How fares the work of the Mission T' Determination now 
asked of Miss Sincere, who was one of the company. 

^'The Lord has been very gracious," slie replied. "We Iiave 
gathered the i^oor and neglected, until now the place is filled. 
The endowment has been of the greatest help to ns, and we are 
very thankful for it," she added, as her eyes turned toward 
Hypocrite, who made no reply, however. 

"The Lord always provides," observed the minister. 

"He 'shall supply all your need according to his riches in 
glory by Christ Jesus,' " added the prophet. 

THOUGH THE WICKED ELOUKISH 

Ere they parted, the Angel came into their midst and said: 

"The Lord has laid his hand heavily upon Man-of-tlie-World. 
Great reverses have visited him, and with his treasures gone 
from him, he sits in the toils of despair. The Almighty hath 
shorn him of his strength, if perchance, detached from worldly 
things, he might be saved." 

"I will go to him quickly," responded Hyx)ocrite, "for once 
we were friends ; and may God give me the power to point him 
to the Cross." 

"And I shall go with thee," said the Angel. 

"We shall follow you in our prayers," Evangelist added. 

Hypocrite and the Angel found Man-of-tlie-Y\"orld alone, and 
in great perturbation of mind. 

"Hearing of your trouble, we have come to be of service, if 
possible," said Hypocrite, "for our gospel teaches the duty of 
bearing one another's burdens." 

25 — The Modern Devil. 



442 THE PILGEIM'S SCARS 

THE SKY IS CHANGED— AND SUCH A CHANGE ! 

''All, all, lias gone, and left me in wretchedness and poverty," 
lamented Man-oi-tlie-AVorld. 

"There are worse conditions than poA^erty," replied H^q^o- 
crite. "I have had reverses, and have learned that a man's 
way is ordered of the Lord. He hath some better possessions 
for thee." 

"This disaster is the work of Satan. I followed his advice; 
and now the earnings of a lifetime have been swept away. 
Wretched man that I am!" 

"A¥e have both suffered," said Hypocrite, "from adhering 
to the advice of Satan. His paths are those of sorrow, his 
policy is defeat, and the purpose he seeks is death. I bear on 
me the scars of wounds which he has inflicted, but I thank God 
I have been able to help in the healing of hundreds who have 
likewise suffered." 

THE NEEDFUL DISCIPLINE OF LIFE 

During the silence which followed, Man-of-the-World sat in 
misery and refused to be comforted. The ploughshare of the 
Almighty was tearing up the hard sod of his heart and the 
furrows seemed to stretch interminably down the years. 

"I can see no hope. I am not only deserted by friends, but 
poverty, absolute poverty, confronts me. No, there is no hope ! 
What is such an existence worth? I might as well end it all," 
cried he in despair. 

"Speak not so," replied Hypocrite. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



443 



Man- of -the- World raised his eyes and looked into the face 
of Hypocrite, whose tenderness of speech had opened his heart 
to learn, for the first time, that sympathy abounded for such as 
he, and that it was not all an empty idea as he had always 
supposed. 

MY TIMES ARE IN THY HANDS 

Every day may work a new beginning," continued Hypo- 
crite. "You will see that the treasures over which you mourn 
are not worth the price of this anguish and sorrow; there is 
something better to be lived for. There are riches which time 
cannot tarnish nor steal. ' ' 

"Position, friends, social prestige— all, all for which I have 
striven, are gone with this crash," answered Man-of-the- 
World. 

' ' With their departure shall come a greater blessing, ' ' replied 
his friend. 

Then I heard the Angel whisper within the soul of Man-of- 
the-World the words of Jesus: 

" 'What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole workl^ 
and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange 
for his soul!' " 

"Perhaps life is all an empty show," he said as if in reply. 

PAINFUL AND DARK THE PATHWAY SEEMS 

"Life is just what we make it, my friend. You and I began 
wrong, and a gracious God who corrects our follies has inter- 



444 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



cepted me; and it is He who in tliis loss of thine would save 
thee to higher life and enduring riches. I carry the scars of 
years wasted; and am indebted for light to Evangelist, who 
hath also sent thee his sympathy and prayers." 

"Evangelist! Yes, we listened to his message that night at 
Longshore, as we sat in the beach pavilion," replied he. 

''His message was then against the sin of covetousness and 
social wrong-doing. He gave to the multitude the teachings of 
Jesus, and pointed to the Cross. We thought his preaching 
foolishness," rejoined Hypocrite. 

"I saw him once after that, by the Sea of Social Swirl. I 
saw his form, as in the evening he walked among the wrecks 
along the shore," added Man-of -the- World. 

"Yes, and it was his friend who saved thy life when the 
Whirlpool of Wine was sucking thee down to perdition," con- 
tinued Hypocrite. 

Reflection is the first sign-board pointing to the Valley of 
the Cross; and now, by the reminiscence recalled through the 
words of Hypocrite^ Man-of-the-World began to gather into 
thought the record of the past years. 

As the Angel and Hypocrite left him, I heard him say: "I 
should like to talk witii Evangelist." 

"We will ask him to visit thee; for he always beareth 
comfort for such as thee." 

Satan and Deception were in hiding as Hypocrite conversed 
with Man-of-the-World, and with disgust written upon their 
faces at Man-of-the-World 's last words, I saw them leave in 
haste, and hastily enter the castle grounds. 



THE PILGRIM'S SCARS 



445 



''What think ye caused the crack in the wall?" asked Decep- 
tion of Satan, as they stood near the damaged castle. 

The iVrchfiend was not in the mood to discuss material affairs, 
for the possible loss of a soul was in his mind; but one of the 
castle guards, joining them, said: ''That damage was done the 
night of the terrible storm, when the thunders of Jehovah held 
the castle in their grasp." 

"The thunders of the Resurrection were indeed let loose that 
night," admitted Deception. "The crack extends from the 
roof to the ground." 

"The interior is damaged as well," added the tiend. 

MASTER, speak ! I KiNTEEL BEFORE THEE 

As Hypocrite knelt at his evening devotions, I saw the Good 
Angel standing by his side, and noticed that to the eye of faith 
she was revealing the scars within the feet and hands and side 
of Him who upon the Cross died to redeem mankind. 

"Seest thou these marks I" she inquired. 

"I discern them clearly," he replied. 

"These He suffered for thee; and yet He wears them by the 
Throne." 

"I will wear my scars for Him," was the reply as the vision 
passed. 



CHAPTER XX 



The Good Angel's Pity 



"He that hath given alms to the poor, takes Jesus 
by the hand; he that patiently endures injuries and 
affronts, helps him to bear his cross ; he that comforts 
his brother in affliction, gives an amiable kiss of peace 
to Jesus; he that bathes his own and his neighbor's sin 
in tears of penance and compassion, washes his 
Master's feet." — Bishop Jeremy Taylor. 



I LAY upon the cushions in my tent in the earh^ morning 
of a new day, and meditated deeply upon what had been 
shown and told to me since the night I stood beside the 
Bridge of Sighs and first beheld the Guardian Angel, and heard 
her hurl defiance at the Enemy of Souls. My mind dwelt much 
upon her gracious ministry on earth, and, as I mused, all 
around me faded into shadows, and I saw her radiant and 
fearless presence once more, but girded and shod as for a 
journey. 

"Tell me, kind spirit," I entreated, ''is thine errand to the 
dwellers in the valley completed?" 
446 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



447 



THE ANGEL TELLS OF HER VISION 

*^Nay," she replied. /''I shall return for there is more 
work for the Master to be done here. But there are other 
regions where the hearts of the men and women are yet cold 
to the friendless poor— those whom stern necessity holds in 
galling chains. A piteous cry has arisen to Heaven, and I am 
commanded to go in the name of the King of Heaven and bear 
His infinite pity and succor in response to the appeal. These 
were the words of the Lord to me : 

''Go thou in the name of thy God; for the spirit of the Lord 
God is upon thee: go thou to these my children: bind up the 
broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captive, and open the 
prison doors to such as are bound : comfort such as mourn, give 
unto them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning, 
the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." 

''This portends more antagonism to our cause," said the 
Archfiend to Deception. "She goes forth to establish some 
new centre of disturbance. We shall have to be both sagacious 
and alert." 

"The sympathy of the heavenly world accorded her is a 
matter of grave concern to me," replied the latter, "for it 
evidences the interest of Jehovah in the Angel's undertaking." 

THE BREATH OF SELFISHNESS 

"She goeth forth to instil a spirit of mercy in the heart of 
mankind, a mission exactly the reverse of ours," explained a 



448 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



fiend who liad just arrived at the castle, and now joined the 
Archfiend. 

' ' Ha ! a new plan of operation ! Well, we shall regard it 
as a challenge"; and so saying, Satan commissioned a number 
of his most subtle liegemen to hold themselves in readiness 
and to oppose, with all diligence, the work of the Angel. 

Then I saw that the Archfiend taught them how to use a 
vile exhalation, termed by him ^'The Breath of Selfishness," 
which vapor, acting upon the heart of mankind, chilled it to 
all generous impulses. 

^'Plaste ye," he enjoined them, '^and where ye discover the 
Angel kindling the fires of commiseration within the human 
soul, then breathe as I have bidden you, until each spark is 
extinguished. Desecrate each altar upon which mercy burns; 
for mercy, like truth, worketh us most dire mischief." 

Following the course of the Angel, these servants of Satan 
went forth vowing to hinder her work wherever possible. 
Assurance of success possessed their souls, and the satisfac- 
tion of defeating the work of the Angel lighted their faces with 
a gleam of joy. 

They dogged her steps in whatever realm she went, and 
sought by the vapor of their vile breaths to quench the fires of 
mercy which love was kindling. 

PEAYEE IS THE CHEISTIAN 's VITAL LEEATH 

The Angel, detecting their presence, guarded her work by 
an atmosphere of prayer, which repelled the breath of these 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



449 



Satanic miscreants; and thus, to their dismay, confounded their 
purpose, while before their envious eyes she kindled fires of 
compassion which continued to burn upon the altar of the 
world's heart. 

Kindness, with the kindred sympathies of love and mercy, 
glorified the nature of all to whom her ministry was given, 
until everywhere the name of Jesus was proclaimed, and 
his teachings followed. The hard and harsh elements of self- 
love and apathy began to be consumed, and instead, the grace 
of Christian brotherhood adorned the heart of discipleship with 
the charm of Heaven. 

CONFUSION WOESE CONFOUNDED 

Discomfited and chagrined, the emissaries of Satan with- 
drew for conference; and I saw that the fires of fury burned 
with desperation in their souls. 

''What can this defeat of our efforts signify?" asked one. 

"To me it remains unanswerable," added a second. 

"Perhaps it is the fault of the breath," answered a third. 

"This cannot be," replied the first fiend, "for with it I have 
nearly frozen the hearts of the unguarded." 

"Think you, then, our failure lies in the power of the Angel 
to resist our influence!" asked the second. 

"So it seems. She is possessed of the art of divine enchant- 
ment, and in spite of our assiduous labors to hinder, she hath 
lighted the fires of compassion within thousands of souls," 
replied the first fiend. 



450 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



AN EXECRABLE DEMON ADVISES EXTINCTION 

There was with this satanic band one of a peculiarly defiant 
spirit who suggested that extreme measures be resorted to for 
the destruction of the Angel. 

''Instant extinction; this is my solution of the matter," said 
he, as he stamped furiously about the cave wherein their con- 
ference was being held. 

' ' She is not mortal. You cannot destroy a spirit, ' ' explained 
a fiend. 

Then, looking out of the cave's mouth, they saw the luminous 
form of the Angel, and upon her countenance glowed the 
righteous defiance of the Almighty. Poised in mid-air I saw 
lier form, and pointing a finger of derision at the band, the 
more confused because of their discovery, she held them captive. 

Reverberating thunder shook the hills, and to these vassals 
of the Pit the sound was the voice of retribution and doom. 
Flashes of lightning alternated light with darkness, while 
within the cave, pinioned by palsying fright, the servants of 
the Archfiend huddled together in wild confusion. 

so FAEEWELL HOPE 

''To thy doom, satanic wretches who defy the omnipo- 
tence of Jehovah! No longer shall thy vile forms plague 
the earth with thy venomous breath!" 

A moment's silence seemed to rest within the very bosom of 
the furious storm. Then, from out the dark heavens, a sui- 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



451 



phurous flash pierced the cave and rent the rocks asunder, 
entombing the forms of the hideous fiends. 

m A SEEVICE THAT THY LOVE APPOINTS 

The good word of the Angel's success was borne to the inter- 
ested company wliich frequently gathered for conference in the 
home of Miss Sincere. There I beheld them. 

THERE AEE NO FAILURES IN GOD 's PLAN 

^'^^lat a power of resurrection lies concealed in the love of 
Jesus,'' said the prophet; ''for love bequeaths both purpose 
and energy in the human heart ; and while love such as the Angel 
breathes abounds, there the Kingdom has dawned with a 
power which the Enemy is impotent to disturb. Heat cannot 
melt it, nor cold chill it, nor can the winds of winter drive it 
away. Love in her hands softens the clods of indifference 
and scatters blessings which tire the eternities to exhaust." 

''Ah," replied Determination, "the gentleness of her hands 
lighteth fires within souls when the clumsiness of human touch 
closes life to the light of love. We fail because of the crude- 
ness of our humanity." 

"We must follow where the Angel opens the path; and then 
in our frailty and weakness God will yet ordain power," 
answered the minister. 

"Thou hast thought truly," replied Evangelist. "As one 
has said to her, 'The whiteness of her heavenly robes reflects a 



452 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



light from the face of God.' We must be children of the light; 
for the lives of angels and men blend with the thought of the 
Master, in the achievement of His purpose to kindle the hres 
of divine pity within the lives of mankind." 

"So shall it be with them," added Minister Good, and I saw 
them depart after they had knelt in a prayer of devout thanks- 
giving for the crovvning work of the Angel along the paths 
which later their own feet should take. 

RUIN UPON RUIN, ROUT UPON ROUT 

The mighty crashing of the storm that buried the fiends 
within the cave had widened the gap in the castle wall, and 
standing before it, the Archfiend blasphemed the name and 
memory of all that was righteous and good, as he learned of 
the extinction of the liends having the poisoned breath. 

Fear and cowardice somewhat tinged his outburst of wrath; 
and remembering the words of retributive justice which had 
once sounded within his ears in the garden, he ventured not 
forth, but sought solace in the companionship of his trusted 
fiends, Belial and Deception. 

Deception quaked in spirit when he saw the demolition of 
the wall, and looked through the opening breach over the 
ravine toward the Valley of the Cross. 

"Another such storm and our lives are imperilled. Look! 
the rent has widened!" 

" 'T is not an hour for the consideration of the walls," said 
Satan in anger. 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



453 



^^The Almighty is hurling defiance at the very seat of our 
power. This is surely a matter of grave import," said 
Deception, with an air of resentment. 

^'We had better roam the earth as vagabonds and yet suc- 
ceed in quenching the fires of comjiassion and love, than dwell 
here and suffer defeat in every undertaking,'' answered the 
Archfiend. 

''Eut our equipment," added Deception. ''AVe are impo- 
tence itself apart from it. The rent in the wall has already 
damaged the Bureau of Lies, and fear racks the spirit of those 
who work in that corridor." 

LOVE CAXXOT BE CONQL^ERED 

Somewhat calmed, Satan replied : " The condition of the 
wall is dangerous, and who knows when the shafts of the 
Almighty may strike it again. It shall be repaired; but first 
our every effort must be bent to defeat the work of the Angel. 
She hath appealed to the Church of Christendom for a com- 
passionate heart; and everywhere her spirit goeth forth to 
ameliorate the condition of men. This must not proceed 
further. Our grasp upon the souls of the degenerate and 
those who know not of mercy must be tightened." 

"AVhy do you so fear the compassionate heart?" asked 
Deception. 

"Because it encourages in the recipient a spirit of love in 
response; and love hath never yet been fully vanquished," he 
replied. 



454 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



"I have often mixed love with hate, and so confounded its 
l^urpose," persisted Deception. 

''Thon hast heen to me a A^alued servant," said Satan, "and 
thine arts have won many to our cause, but these times demand 
subtleties with which the age is not familiar." 

''Generations pass," replied Deception, ''and the tricks of 
the past, though old to us, are as novelties to those of a new 
age. ' ' 

"But God abideth, " answered the Enemy, "and during 
thousands of years has marked our schemes to destroy souls. 
He rememberetli and sends forth those under His instructions 
who have power to foil past policies. Bestir thyself for new 
conceptions of attack." 

MAXY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH LOVE 

"He worketh by the same methods," said Deception. 

"Yes," replied Satan, "the same methods only modified and 
adjusted to each new age. His one purpose is to build the 
unquenchable hres of love within the human heart." 

"This is an exacting age, I know," continued Deception, 
"and the Angel whom He hath sent seems amply able to undo 
our best work." 

"She is an untiring foe," replied Satan, "for through her 
activities love immediately changes the environment of life, and 
where this is accomplished our best conceived art is powerless 
to restore old-time conditions. We must watch her progress. 
We must thwart it. When compassionate love turns millions 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



455 



of gold towards the betterment of the slums, and charity min- 
isters to the lot of the poor, it is time for most serious opposi- 
tion." 

''Aimeth the Angel toward this?" anxiously inquired 
Deception. 

"She hath accomplished it in many places by awakening the 
Church; and old Evangelist— curse him!— with his exhortations 
concerning consecrated wealth hath influenced hundreds to 
invest in what is called 'the Lord's Cause,' " answered the 
Archfiend. 

''And he still labors?" asked Deception. 

"He labors without cessation, and is at this time in league 
and sympathy with the Angel in kindling the fires of love in the 
human heart." 

"Thou hast persuaded me of the necessity of immediate and 
vigorous action," replied Deception. And so saying, I saw 
the two hurry along the corridor for conference with Belial 
and Heresy. 

SEE THAT GLOKY-BEAMING STAE 

Then I beheld the Angel return with jo}' from her pilgrimi- 
age, and take her way to the home of Minister Good, where she 
soon gathered with her the little company of the Lord's faith- 
ful workers. For their encouragement she related how she 
had inspired souls with feelings of mercy, and gladdened their 
hearts by the signs of promise which, throughout the Chris- 
tian world, portended the dawning of the brotherhood of 
mankind. 



456 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



''This is most blessed news," said the minister. 

The fires of compassion were kindled in the sonl of HyiDO- 
crite, who was present, for he had read of the One who, travel- 
ing through Galilee, had been gracious to the poor and 
downtrodden. 

WHAT I HAVE, O LORD, I OFFER THEE 

He had once heard the prophet read from the works of one 
of God's illustrious servants these words, which had mightily 
touched him; and he felt as though the Christ were beseeching 
the gift of his substance to the poor and wayfaring. 

"Our life requires to be broken in two each day and 
replanted, that it may spring up again from sleep as new blos- 
soms out of the soil. We are buried every night for a resur- 
rection of each morning; and thus our life is not a continuous 
line unbroken, but a series of lives and deaths, of deaths and 
births. 

"Thus shall I break my life for Him, as Mary of old did the 
ointment; and in the new life of His love, will I bring my wealth 
that I may minister to His name in the reclaiming of souls." 

"Thus thou shalt kindle more fires than thou dreamest of," 
added Evangelist, "and where lo^e consecrates its treasure, 
there the Enemy of Mankind trembles with alarming fears." 

"I shall do it for Him." was Hypocrite's reply. 

WHO COULD THERE REFRATX FROM WEEPI^^"G ? 

Xot long after, AVhoIe-soul, journeying in a field near the 
Cross, happened upon a strange-appearing tree, and from its 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



459 



boughs gathered a peculiar seed having a pleasant fragrance. 
Wondering what it might be, he brought it to the city, and 
sought information concerning its name and nature from the 
prophet. 

^'We shall seek the Angel, that we may learn of its virtue.'' 
Together I saw the two approach and enter the home of Miss 
Sincere, where tarried the Angel, and of her seek to know the 
name of the seed, the fragrance of which filled the room. 
As she took it, I heard her ask, ' ' Where found ye this seed ! ' ' 
^'Upon a tree in a field near to the Cross," answered Whole- 
soul. 

''When!" she inquired. 
"To-day," replied Whole-soul. 

"Thou hast discovered a rare seed, which comes from a tree 
an angel planted on the day of the Saviour's crucifixion. 

THE SEED MUST BE PLANTED 

"It is the tree called Pity, and these are the seeds which it 
hath been caused to bear. They must be gathered by the faith- 
ful, and planted within the soul of the Church of Christ." 

' ' 'T is most wondrous ! ' ' exclaimed Evangelist. ' ' Wilt thou 
not tell us of this angel and for what reason and intent she 
planted the seed from which the tree sprang I" 

"I will, for until now the record of this deed hath been known 
to none but God. There stood near the Cross that day, one 
whose soul had been healed of a deep sorrow b}^ the compas- 
sion of the Crucified; and as she beheld Him in His agony, and 

26— The Modern Devil. 



460 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



marked the stolid and heartless gaze of the multitudej her heart 
sorrowed for Him even to weeping, and a tear, hot with the 
intensity of her pity, fell to earth where she stood. That tear, 
shed for the sorrows of her Saviour, became the seed which, 
taking root within the hallowed soil, germinated and grew to 
reproduce itself from replanting within this wondrous age." 

"It is strange to me that seed so precious should have been 
entrusted to one so unworthy as I." 

"It is to those of thy name that the Lord commits His pre- 
cious gifts," replied the Angel to Whole-soul. Then to all 
gathered around her she commanded: 

sow IN THE MOKOSr THY SEED 

' ' Go ye all by the ways which I, in my ministry, have lighted, 
and sow the seed of pity in the souls of the children of God ; and 
may the care and blessing of the Triune Father be with you. ' ' 

Then I beheld them go forth upon their mission, and noticed 
that Whole-soul led the way, after giving to each a quantity 
of the seed which the Angel herself had helped him gather 
from the Tree of Pity near the Cross of the Crucified. 

Then in my dream I beheld a great company, whom Evan- 
gelist and his friends had influenced, take up the work and 
carry it on until throughout the whole Christian world the seed 
of pity was planted in receptive soil; and in turn the earth 
was filled with the beauty of the Lord. God gave to the seed 
sown an atmosphere of love in which each plant thrived and 
speedily bore fruit. 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



461 



**T]ie day of promise of which the Angel spoke has dawned, 
and the dayspring portends the greater glories of that noon- 
tide of blessing which this age may nsher in," said the aged 
prophet, as he saw throughout the land the betterment of social 
conditions, and beheld consecrated wealth rearing orphanages 
and asylums, hospitals and homes for the poor. 

"Thus hath pity wrought the miracle of a human brother- 
hood, which actualizes the thought of Christ in His divine pur- 
pose of saving the world," said the Angel, as she rejoiced with 
Evangelist over the blessed accomplishment. 

The anger of Satan was frightful to behold when he learned 
of the tree he might have blasted; but now an host of shining 
guards surrounded it, and with drawn swords threatened all 
save the Lord's anointed who ventured near. Remembering 
the day when the Angel dropped the tear by the Cross, the 
Archfiend cursed himself for not having tempted her away. 

' ^ 'T is too late to mourn over so trivial a matter, ' ' spoke 
Deception, consolingly. 

''True, 'tis too late, and our lack of vigilance has suffered 
the seed of the tree to be discovered by one of the Angel 's 
company. Oh! the woes of these lost days." 

''Speak not so," replied Deception, "'for we may yet blast 
these seeds in their growth, and thus destroy the hope of har- 
vest. ' ^ 

"Ah, but the heart has been warmed for their coming, and 
the past has shown us unequal to a contest with the Almighty," 
answered Satan. 

The two withdrew^ from my vision, and then I saw Determi- 



462 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



nation turn the Lamp of Truth upon the place on earth where 
there was marked resistance in men's hearts to the spirit of 
pity. 

"Thou canst discern the cause?" he asked Evangelist. 

' ' Truly I do, ' ' answered the prophet, as he studied the human 
heart under the light of truth. "It is love of self and igno- 
rance which chill the heart. The light of truth within the 
hearts of those of thy spirit can alone know human nature and 
render it susceptible to the seed of compassion and pity." 

LOVE TKANSFOEMS HUMANITY 

Then I beheld that everwhere throughout the Christian 
world where the Angel 's path had led, and where those of God 's 
children at His command had gone with the fragrant seed, 
the fruit appeared in human hearts. 

The blossom and bloom of a fragrant love sweetened the 
world. The mission of mercy had softened the heart of man- 
kind. Burdens began to lighten, darkness lifted, cares that 
grew out of distress took wings; and upon the face of Chris- 
tendom, love's blest enchantment was working the miracle of 
a transformed humanity; for the touch of the compassionate 
heart was felt and seen. 

LOVE OF god! so PUKE AND CHANGELESS 

The hordes of the Archfiend found their work onerous and 
discouraging, for wherever Deception led his forces they were 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



463 



repelled by the fragrance of the flowers of pity. Men who 
aforetimes were attracted by their arts were not impossible 
to reach, and their spirits quailed as they breathed the air of 
love which everywhere impregnated the atmosphere of human 
lives. 

''Satan was right," said Deception, as he led his assistants 
back into the grounds about the castle. ''This is a new age, 
and old methods of approach seem out of vogue. The hold 
of the Infinite One upon life is growing more intense, and it 
is to me a problem what tactics to advise." 

DETERMINATION' CONFOUNDS DECEPTION 

"The regions where the Angel has been are unbearable. We 
are powerless to work in the atmosphere she has created, ' ^ added 
one of the helpers. 

As the fiendish band thus conferred, a sound "as of a rush- 
ing mighty wind" was heard about them, and a voice in accents 
of authorit}^ spoke: 

"Love everywhere is answering the longings and aspira- 
tions of the race, and within the restlessness of the human 
spirit, the Almighty, through His servants, hath set the dawn 
of a new era, in which truth and pity shall shine forth to bap- 
tize the whole earth with the beauty of Heaven." 

Determination, in passing that way, had detected Deception 
and his band, and from the roadway of the King, which skirted 
the mountain, thus addressed them. Passing on, they saw him 
not. 



464 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



''Tlioii liast confounded the host of the Arch^end with thy 
courageous words," said the Angel as she met Determination 
later upon the road. ''Go thou forth, servant of Jesus, speak 
the words of truth without fear; and may the power of our 
God be thy garment." 

Thus did Determination approach the city with joy, and to 
Evangelist he related the confounding of Deception, and 
revealed to the prophet the message of the Angel. 

"It shall be even so with thee as she hath said," replied the 
prophet. 

Everywhere the children of God were busy, and where they 
wrought, the impassionate heart relented; and within it the 
graces of commiseration and pity began to abound. 

SATAiST SEES THE FUTTJKE 

Then in my vision I beheld Satan in the garden of the castle, 
and saw that in his hands he held a glass, called the Glass of 
Futurity, through which he peered in all directions into the 
mists of the ages to come. I noticed his dismay as he gazed 
into the regions whither the Angel and those of her guidance 
had gone. There the work of love was advancing with mighty 
purpose, and he beheld the walls and roofs and towers of 
innumerable buildings. 

He was worried at the vision. The glass was telling him the 
sad fact of his defeat; and he dared not doubt its revelation.' 
He saw how the touch of the compassionate heart had written 
God's name on the hearts of men, and that everywhere, touched 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



465 



with pity, tliey were giving the means by which tlie buildings 
of his vision were reared, in wliich a host of children were 
being gathered to find shelter and instruction. 

FOK THE TRESPASS OF THIS NATIOIT 

Above the scene of his vision, Satan beheld the Hill of Cal- 
vary, and from the Cross, made the more radiant by the living 
Christ of the ages, he beheld a dazzling light which blazed out 
over the whole earth and fell with a benediction upon every 
agency operated for the redemption of the race. 

Laying aside the glass, I saw him stand with bowed head as 
though engaged in deep thought. Then the fires of his wrath 
were kindled and the surrounding hills resounded with his rage, 
as he began to curse the memory of the woman whose tears of 
pity at the Crucifixion had become seed in the soil by the Cross 
and produced the Tree of Pity. 

Pacing to and fro in the garden, he spent his rage upon those 
whom his hideous blasphemy had no power to disturb. 

"Curse—!" The sentence was not finished, for above him 
a cloud heavy in its folds i^arted, and out of its midst came a 
flood of dazzling light, and in its searching glory I saw the 
Archfiend tremble. 

"This is the glory which shall flood the years with unending 
peace, and all darkness shall pass fore^^er in the shining sun of 
righteousness." Thus did a company of angelic beings speak 
from the cloud. 

Torn in soul by the prophetic words, the Archfiend hastened 
within the castle. 



466 



THE GOOD ANGEL'S PITY 



ON THE CROSS OF CHRIST RELYING 

Never to be discouraged, but to live and love and trust, 
tlius do we gather the promises of God from the harvest fields 
of hope," said Evangelist, as he and Minister Good stood by 
the Cross, whither they had come for an hour's communion. 

From this retreat they beheld in spirit the triumph of their 
Lord, and bathed their souls in the foregleam of a day soon to 
appear, when love and pity should find in all human hearts 
a perfect and lasting experience. 

''It is from this spot," added Evangelist, ''that the world's 
hope arose." 

"And the world's hope shall never set, until the arms of the 
Christ who was crucified are clasped about a ransomed and 
redeemed race," answered the minister. 

"We have already touched that day," he added. 

With face aglow with rapture, I saw Evangelist look upon 
the Cross, and then turning, as though with an eye of limitless 
faith he were sweeping the expanse of centuries, I heard him 
say: 

"The world grows better; the day grows brighter; the king- 
dom of darkness wanes. 

" 'Everywhere His glory shineth; 
God is wisdom, God is love.' " 



CHAPTER XXI 



Man-of-the- World Under the Lights 

"The virtue of prosperity is temperance, the virtue 
of adversity, is fortitude ; which in morals is the more 
heroical virtue. Prosperity is the blessing of the Old 
Testament, adversity is the blessing of the New : which 
carrieth the greater benediction, and the clearer reve- 
lation of God's favor." — Francis Bacon, ''Essays." 



World, as he looked into her eyes and saw tears there. 
"Yes, indeed," she replied, "and i't is painful to 



be pinched by such poverty. Society seems to have done 
with us," and so saying she buried her face in her hands and 
wept. 

Man-of-the-World's marble mansion had passed into the 
hands of his creditors, and he and his wife were occupying a 
modest but comfortable house in an entirely different part of 
the city. 

"Better times are in store for us," he replied, in an attempt 
to console his wife. "Hypocrite says Hhe best is yet to come,' " 




changed with us, wife," said Man-of-the- 



467 



468 MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



LET US BE PATIENT 

'^But think of what we have lost!" 

"How can I help thinking of it?" he replied. 

Then a silence of some minntes followed, which was inter- 
rupted by the entrance of Evangelist. 

''Peace he to thee, and His blessing upon thy home," was his 
salutation. 

The prophet's call was very gracious, and came at a time 
when ]\Ian-of -the- World was seeking to gather up the broken 
fragments of his life; although he knew not how to use them. 
Agitated and ]3erplexed, he needed the help of a higher intelli- 
gence to give him moral inspiration for the task. This he found 
in the coming of the prophet. Man-of-the-World had reached 
the hour when he was prepared to see God. 

''I have come by thy invitation," began the prophet. 

' ' And it is well thou hast come. AVe have waited for thee, ' ' 
answered ]\[an-of-the-World. 

I saw that his wife was won to the prophet by his kindly face 
and gentleness of manner. 

The three sat in silence; it was one of those hours when 
souls feel deeply what they hesitate openly to utter; and I 
noticed that the Angel was in the midst of the little company. 

CHANGE AND DECAY IN ALL AROUND I SEE 

"Thou hast seen much of change in the world during thy 
life," said Man-of-the-World, at last. 



MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 469 



''A great deal," answered Evangelist. ''Vicissitude and 
sorrow characterize the earthly sojourn. In this world we are 
sure of having tribulation." 

''Thou hast had sorrow?" inquired Man-of-the-World. 

"Yes, and even Jesus, the Son of God, had it. It was He 
who said, 'flave faith.' Faith is the victory which overcometh 
the world." 

"To live on, patiently, though life is robbed of its old-time 
comforts ; to take a new hold of these higher intimations which 
every future holds, is the will of God," whispered the Angel. 

"Perhaps I have been actuated by wrong motives," 
answered Man-of-tlieAVorld. "Perhaps I am reaping what I 
have sown. It is hard to understand. Perhaps my friend 
Hypocrite hath chosen the better way after all." 

"Not as I will," answered the prophet. 

UNDER THE LIGHTS 

Then I saw that Evangelist placed three lights upon Man-of- 
the-World, and that in turn the light from each fell upon him: 
and by the help of these he saw strange and wonderful things. 

"What are these?" he asked. 

"These are the three lights by which men see the Past, the 
Present, and the Future. These are the lights of Experience, 
Truth, and Faith," answered the prophet. 

Then the Angel, with one sweep of her hand, chased away the 
mists which hung before the eyes of Man-of-the-World, as 
Evangelist bade him look down the years of his life by the aid 
of the Light of Experience. 



470 MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



"What dost thou seeT' asked the prophet. 
"My past life/' answered Man-of-the-World. 
"How doth it appear!" 

Man-of-the-Workl made no reply, but looked intently upon 
the panorama of wasted years. There lay his ambitions, his 
hopes, his plans, his gains, and there the culmination of it all. 

"A strange medley, indeed," replied he. 

"Thou hast never viewed thy past as a whole before," said 
the prophet. 

"It lies in dull colors: its glory has vanished," was the rejDly. 
"It lies in the colors in which it was painted," answered 
Evangelist. 

"And can it not be changed!" inquired Man-of-the-World. 

"It can only be forgiven," replied the prophet. 

Then it was that into the soul of Man-of-the-World, as he 
turned from viewing the past, the Angel said: 

" ^I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for 
mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.' " 

"Look thou here," said the prophet, and he gave him the 
Light of Truth. In its searching rays Man-of-the-World saw 
the waste and emptiness of many years; and of it all there 
was nothing left but a new beginning. 

THE GATE OP OPPOETUNITY 

"What dost thou now behold?" asked the prophet. 
"Nothing! nothing!" was the reply. 
"Nothing left from all of the years!" 



MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 471 



'^Nothing from all of the years!" said the sorrowful man. 
'^Seest thou not that here is a place for a new beginning?" 
asked Evangelist. 

^'I see but dimly an open gate." 

^^That is the Gate of Opportunity," explained the i^rophet. 
^''Tis God^s hand which opens it to thee," 

^'Whither leads the path beyond the gate?" inquired Man- 
of -the- World. 

Then I saw Evangelist turn the Light of Faith upon the path 
which led through the gateway, and bid Man-of-the-World look 
again. 

^'I behold a long road leading direct across valleys and over 
hills to a city which stands upon a distant plain," said he. 

'^That is the King's Highway, which was opened for such 
as thee by the King's Son," explained the prophet. 

^^This is the way of the Lord, walk ye in it," interposed the 
Angel. 

^^Seest thou a Cross upon a lonely hill just beyond the gate?" 
asked the prophet. 

^^I cannot see it," answered Man-of-the-World. 

Then the prophet turned the Light of Faith upon the path 
again. 

^'I behold the Cross!" cried out Man-of-the-World excitedly. 
' ' That is the Cross upon which He died, that the sins of your 
past might be forgiven." 

^ ' I have heard it told, but have never seen till now. ' ' 
^'Now thou seest by faith," replied the prophet. 
*^This is all new to me," Man-of-the-World remarked. 



472 



MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDEE THE LIGHTS 



"Thou hast yet much to learn, but God is gracious," said 
the prophet. ''Dost thou see near the Cross a tree of fair 
proportions I " 

"Yes, I behold a tree in a field near the Cross." 

"That," replied Evangelist, "is the Tree of Pity, of whose 
seed Hypocrite informed thee. It was planted there when tlie 
Redeemer was crucified." 

Moments of silence followed, and within the depths of his 
soul Man-of-the-World heard the voice of the Angel pleading 
for him. 

Placing his hand upon that of his wife, who also followed the 
words of Evangelist, I saw them kneel while the Angel 
stretched out her hands in blessing, as the prophet, through 
prayer, led the lives of the two into the love of God. 

"It shall be a new beginning, for we have passed through 
the gate," said Man-of-the-World. 

"And I will follow," said his wife. 

As the prophet dej)arted I saw the two standing side by side, 
rejoicing in the new hope which had been given them. The 
sorrow of penitence filled their souls, as the Angel of God, with 
the wooing of love, led them forward upon the blessed path- 
way which was to shine with increasing recognition of heavenly 
joys as they journeyed on. 

THE HAKD ROAD OF SACRIFICE 

Following their footsteps, I saw that the Angel led them 
down a path till they came to a place where many, growing 
faint-hearted, had turned back. Her solicitude was tender and 



MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 473 



her care untiring; for she recognized the presence of the Arch- 
fiend and knew the malevolence of his design upon these two. 

' ' What is the meaning of so much difficulty near the entrance 
gate of the new lifef" asked Man-of-the-World, as he followed 
at much cost of strength. 

''This is a stretch of the way known as the Hard Road of 
Sacrifice, and many have here despaired and returned to the 
old life," explained the Angel. 

"It is difficult to walk in it," he added, "and why must we 
follow it!" 

"Pilgrims here learn the insufficiency of their own strength, 
and are taught the lesson of trust. Didst thou not read the 
words above the gate to which the light of Evangelist pointed 
thee!" asked the Angel. 

"We failed to note the words," replied Man-of-the-AVorld. 

"Ah, many others have done so," replied the Angel. 

"The words are those of Him who opened the gate for man- 
kind," she continued, and then recalled them: " 'If any man 
will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, 
and follow me.' " 

I AM THE WAY, THE TEUTH, AND THE LIFE 

"AVhy bear a cross and stumble over a road like this, when 
life might be smooth and joyous!" whispered Satan. 

Man-of-tlie-World, attracted by a voice he well knew, turned, 
and in so doing, his eyes fell upon the Cross. 

' ' This is the way which leads to life ; beyond the Cross there 
is a crown," said the Angel. 



474 MAN-OF-THE-AA^OELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



The Archfiend, dismayed at the determination of Man-of- 
the-World, cursed the Guardian Angel, as in his soul he planned 
some new method of appeal. 

"Look ye here," said the Angel guide, and so saying, she 
pointed to the eye of their faith a number of foot-prints which 
lay as in adamant upon the path. 

"AVhat are these F" inquired Man-of-the-World. 

THIS IS THE WAY, WALK YE IN IT 

"These are the marks of the Saviour's feet. He passed this 
way bearing our cross, the burden of which caused these impres- 
sions to be made, which the iconoclastic instruments of cen- 
turies have been powerless to efface. Thou art but taking the 
path He trod," explained the Angel. 

Man-of-the-World, grasping the truth of the Angel's teach- 
ing, turned to his wife, and I heard her say: 

" ' 'T is not the things we have, you know, 
That count us good and true.' " 

Then, with a spirit that had learned the secret of self-mastery, 
I beheld him look toward the Cross as he prayed : 

"Lord Jesus, give unto us, Thy weak children, the power of 
which Thy Angel speaks, that together we may take this way 
with patience and self-denial, looking unto Thee, who art the 
author and finisher of our faith." 

When Satan heard his former victim pray, he began to shoot 
arrows of doubt regarding its being answered, but the Angel, 
who knew the Archfiend's subtlety, whispered: 



MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 477 



^^Thy prayer shall receive an answer; for tby God liatli 
promised that the petition of faith shall be honored. Faint 
thou not. The past is at an end, and a future of blessing has 
opened. ' ' 

* ' And can no one hinder 1 ' ' 

^'No one, if thou dost trust God and cling to God. He will 
not suffer thee to fail." 

So I saw that both came over the Hard Road of Sacrifice into 
the Way of Peace and Trust, and that an abounding joy filled 
their souls as they went on. 

As they journeyed on, they came to a small house by the road 
which had been built by the King. It stood upon a hill called 
Prospect; and at the word of the prophet they entered. 

^'This hath been erected for the help of all pilgrims passing 
this way," he explained. 

There is a goodly view from here," said Man-of-the-World; 
for in the distance could be seen the Hill-lands of Faith, and 
from all points of vision the Cross was in sight. 

Entering the house, the prophet led the three to an uj^per 
room, from which opened a window through which pilgrims 
for centuries were wont to look. It was the Window of Revela- 
tion. Pushing aside the shutters. Evangelist said, ''Behold 
the glories of the Heavenly Hill ! ' ' 

THE GOLDEN THKEAD OF THE PILGRIM PATH 



Their hearts lacked the power of expressing their emotions. 
There lay the vast summits upon which the heavenly city 

27 — The Modern Devil. 



478 MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



rested, and to the eye of faitli its loveliness was clearly 
revealed. 

Wending between, lay tlie path of the pilgrim, like a golden 
thread; and upon it was a mighty throng ascending with songs 
of victory. Far beyond lay the river, upon which hung the 
fogs of death; but crossing it appeared the bridge across which 
the Angel had come, and over which they dimly traced the 
passage of a vast multitude. 

"Now let the vision pass," said the prophet. "Ye have 
seen, by the eye of faith, the City of God, and how the path to 
which the word of the Angel directed leads thither. Pursue 
it, bearing thy cross, and ere long ye too shall enter and find 
rest." 

WITH THE PAST BEHIND THEM 

Life to them again assumed an earthly emdronment, and 
soon Man-of-the-World, with Hypocrite, the proj^het. Deter- 
mination, and A¥hole-soul, were working in the mission school 
of Miss Sincere. 

"We must be witnesses of the things we have seen," said 
Hypocrite. 

"Yes," said Man-of-the-World, "we must shelter these chil- 
dren from the temptations of Satan and guide their feet into 
the paths of truth. These must be taught to escape the sins 
which later bring failure, sorrow, and tears, 



" 'For future happiness depends 
Upon the things we do.' " 



MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 479 



THREE MODERN MARYS 

Three untiring souls, the Marys of the new era— Miss 
Sincere, Mrs. Man-of-the-World, and Widow Faith— appeared 
before me in the vision, and above them in their work for the 
Master, I saw tlie Guardian Angel. 

' ' Go ye to find her, ' ' I heard the Angel say. 

Then I understood the sorrow I saw written upon the faces 
of the three. A lamb had wandered from the fold. A weak 
child, one much loved, had lost her way and fallen into sin. 

Patiently they sought her, and when found in haunts where 
only such angelic spirits would go, I beheld them lead her back. 

Tears of gladness stood within the eyes of the aged prophet 
as he marked their love and tenderness, and I heard him say: 

There shall be new joy in Heaven to-day, in that the faith- 
ful have saved a soul from^ the error of her way." 

'^Who would have believed it?" said Man-of -the- World as 
he saw the mother instinct of his wife, hallowed by the Christ 
love, clasp the magdalen in her arms and whisper in deep 
earnestness the message of a heart passionate to save. 

''It is the indwelling love of God which worketh such 
miracles," replied Evangelist. 

MAN-OE-THE-WORLD TAKES UP HIS WORK 

Then I saw the beautiful law of Christian brotherhood 
unfold before my eyes. Hypocrite, now a new man in Christ 
Jesus, gave to Man-of -the-W^orld, a place in his employ; and a 
part of his duties was to dispense the former's benevolence. 



48U 



MAN-OF-THE- WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



Besides this, he devoted his time to the rescue of those who needed 
a friend's counsel after enjoying the first swells of the Sea of 
Social Swirl. 

^'We shall help Man-of -the-World, ' ' said Hypocrite to Evan- 
gelist, ''for those have forsaken him who once were his friends, 
and he needs the warmth of loyal companionship. We shall 
help bear his burdens also." 

''That is the spirit of Him whom we serve. 'Give, and it 
shall be given unto you,' " answered the prophet. 

Man-of -the- World, rejoicing in the blessings of the new life, 
went forth, and by such doors as could be opened, he entered to 
influence for Christ the lives of the young social set, if per- 
chance by tender warnings against Satan's intrigues he might 
save them from the sorrows of later years. 

"I have a message for such," he said to the prophet. "I 
have tasted the poisonous wine of society life, and through the 
same follies these are indulging in have lost all, and had it 
not been for thee and the Angel, my soul would have perished. ' ' 

"What are your plans!" asked Hypocrite. 

"I shall spend the summer in the Lord's work at Longshore. 
I shall seek also by the Sea of Social Swirl to save such as will 
hear the truth." 

"I shall go with thee," said Hypocrite; and as they went 
forth to their work of rescue, I saw that Evangelist also 
accompanied them. 

LEAD, KINDLY LIGHT 

The season of Longshore was at its height, and a new genera- 
tion, added to those who had long tasted of sin, were there in 



MAN-OF-THE-WOELD UNDER THE LIGHTS 481 



great multitudes, regaling themselves with the dissii3ations 
Satan had provided. 

I saw the three standing in the evening twilight within the 
same pavilion where together, long before, they heard the 
message of Evangelist; and the sea with its incoming tides 
washed the very beach upon which the prophet delivered the 
message of God, which they were then not ready to hear. 

Man-of-tlie-AYorld interrupted the silence into which they 
had unconsciously entered. 

''We are here as the witnesses of Christ, with lives scarred 
by the very sins to which this multitude has committed itself. 
The prophet hath spoken, and it is now our duty to tell the story 
of salvation as written in our lives ; perhaps they will hear us. ' ' 

''The Lord ever honors the efforts of His servants. Eelying 
upon Him, let the message be spoken," rejoined Evangelist. 

Taking their places upon the beach, Man-of-the-World 
prayed in silence: 

" 'Take my lips, and let them be 
Filled with messages for Thee.' " 

COUNTING EACH LOST AND MISSPENT DAY 

Then in the twilight, with faces lighted up by the glow of the 
moon, which cast its sheen upon the waters, I heard Man-of-the- 
World and Hypocrite for the first time tell the story of their 
lives. The throng surged about them on every hand, and upon 
this dense mass of souls fell a great silence, for all were eager 
to hear. 



482 MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 



The message was one of power in its appeal to the heart. 
The winds from the sea carried the words of these servants 
inward, until those who crowded the broad boardwalk could 
hear them distinctly. The Angel was there; and upon the 
message breathed a blessing which gave it peculiar power. 

Thousands of men, women, and youth heard for the first time 
a confession of Christ from the lips of these two whom they 
once recognized as leaders among their own set. 

Some laughed in derision, while others were skeptical of 
their sincerity; yet within many souls the Master spoke with 
warning against a profligate life. 

Satan was moving among the multitude, and, flushed with 
anger, he marked the abiding impression for good left by the 
words of these servants of the Most High. 

Shall this opposition to my plans never end!" he asked of 
his soul. 

^'It shall never end until a sin-cursed world lies within the 
hands of Immanuel,'' whispered the Angel. 

NOTHING BUT LEAVES 

Upon the beach, lost in silent thought, I beheld Mr. Please- 
all looking wistfully out to sea. His soul, like the untiring 
bosom of the vast deep, was full of unrest; for the message of 
the evening had accused him, and conscience stirred his soul 
as the spirit of the Living God condemned him by reason of a 
withheld message. 

As he passed toward home, I saw the abode of the sinful 



MAN-OF-THE-WORLD UNDER THE LIGHTS 483 



whose slumbering consciences lie had cajoled with pleasing 
words. The Angel was repeating within his soul the message 
of Almighty God. 

" ^For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they 
should seek the law at his mouth : for he is the messenger of the 
Lord of hosts. But ye are departed out of the way; ye have 
caused many to stumble at the law; ye have corrupted the 
covenant of Levi, saith the Lord of hosts.' " 

Before the eyes of his soul, Please-all saw the scene to which 
Man-of-the-World had pointed the sinning multitude for safety. 
He saw upon a lonely hill a Cross, on which hung in unutter- 
able sorrow the Saviour of Mankind, and recalled how Hypo- 
crite had pointed to the scars within His side. His hands. His 
feet. Redeeming love was appealing for new and fearless 
utterance of the divine truth. In sorrow, Mr. Please-all marked 
the failure of past years; for he had dishonored his Master in 
a desire to exalt himself. 

Looking through his tears of contrition upon the Cross, he 
heard a voice saying: 

" 'Take up the cross, and follow Me.* " 

And as Evangelist and his friends at prayer remembered 
him at the Throne of Grace, that very moment I heard him 
say: ''I will follow Thee. I will bear the Cross. I will hence- 
forth declare the whole truth." 

As my vision waned, the Angel was whispering these words 
to the three: "Contrite hearts find favor in the skies." 



CHAPTER XXII 



Saved as by Fibe 

"When God built the world, he did not build a palace 
complete with appointments. This is a drill world. 
Men were not dropped down upon it like manna, fit 
to be gathered and used as it fell; but like seeds, to 
whom the plow is father, the furrow mother, and on 
which iron and stone, sickle, flail, and mill, must act 
before they come to the loaf." — Beecher. 

THE passions of the Pit had been poured by the Archfiend 
into the City of Worldliness, and a fever of extrava- 
gant wantonness throbbed within the pulses of its 
populace. Iniquity and shame, arrogant and sensual, had 
kindled the fire in which its boasted glory was to be consumed. 

The message of the prophet had fallen upon dull ears, and 
now the hands upon the clock of time were pointing to the hour 
of doom. 

The Almighty stood within the shadows, girt about with 
impenetrable silence. 

^'I fear the Lord may not save the city,'' said Minister Good 
to Evangelist. 
484 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



485 



STEICT TO MARK AND JUST TO RENDER 

^^Witli liim all tilings are possible," replied the prophet. 

'^Perhaps He shall save it for the sake of the few righteous,'' 
continued the minister. 

''He shall purge away the dross," whispered the Angel, ''for 
the set time of His judgment hath come," and so saying I saw 
her beckon those of the household, as she led the way. 

Then I saw in my dream that Determination, at the instance 
of the Angel, had gathered those of the household of faith, and 
that they all went outside of the city. It was evening. The 
sun had crossed the mountain, and by its touch of lingering 
light infused the vast banks of foamy clouds which lay above 
the valley with crimson and gold. A sense of peace pervaded 
Nature, and above the city the stars, one by one, were hung out 
by angel hands— lanterns along the roadways of the skies. 

THE LITTLE COMPANY KNEEL IN PRAYER 

I saw the company hasten on until they came to the brow of 
a hill above the city, and then I beheld them kneel in prayer. 

Evangelist was in their midst, and around him were gathered 
those who with much toil and tears had labored for the redemp- 
tion of the city. They were stationed as watchmen upon the 
battlements of the Kingdom, for their e^^es were to witness 
wonderful things. 

In the dying twilight I saw Man-of-the-World and Hypo- 
crite standing together, with their eyes turned toward the Cross, 
which shone out in the darkness with an iridescent glory. 



486 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



"Would the people of the city might behold the radiance of 
yonder Cross as we have come to see it,'^ said Man-of-the- 
World. 

THAT MAN IS BLEST WHO STANDS IN AWE 

'^The people shall come to behold the face of the anointed," 
answered the Angel, "bnt not nntil purified by the refining 
fire." 

''The refining fireT' repeated Hypocrite. 

''The dross must be removed, and then shall the silver and 
gold shine forth in their splendor," replied the Angel. 

Widow Faith and Miss Sincere wept as they thought of 
those for whom they had striven and prayed; who yet 
remained indifferent to the i3leadings of grace. 

"Dry thy tears, for the Lord hath counted thy labors, and 
His arm stretcheth forth to save," said the Angel pityingly. 

The voice of Evangelist announced the appearance of a 
strange light in the cloud beyond; and the eyes of all soon 
rested upon it. 

"The Lord hath come; fear ye not, but behold the power of 
Jeliovah; for His right arm hath been made bare to ransom the 
city from its waywardness and sin," said the Angei. 

THE WONDERS OF HIS HAND 

In the distance was heard the rumbling of thunder, like the 
rolling of many chariots, and this was followed by an illumina- 
tion of the clouds. 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



487 



''It is the day of the millennium. It dawns upon yon moun- 
tain, and the hosts of the Lord seek to usher in the age of 
righteousness," said AVhole-soul. 

''It records the beginning of the age for which the saints of 
the earth have prayed. The toil and sacrifice of the Lord's 
children shall soon be rewarded in a purified society, and the 
new Jerusalem which descendeth from Heaven shall appear, 
and be established on earth as was promised," replied the 
Angel. 

Then the heavens opened and upon the clouds appeared the 
form of One like unto the Son of God. 

"His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were 
many crowns ; and he had a name written, that no man knew, 
but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in 
blood. . . . The armies which were in heaven followed him 
. . . And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name 
written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." 

THE FIRE OF GOd's REFIXIXG 

Then from the clouds descending, the fires of His refining 
burst upon the City of Worldliness, and a wail of sorrow filled 
the valley, as the Lord separated men from their pleasures and 
sins, and cast them into the fires of i3urification. 

The company upon the hill stood aghast at the appalling 
scene; for the City of AVorldliness upon which they looked, 
shone with the glow of a refiner 's fire. 

"This is the place of which God hath spoken," said the 



488 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



Angel, as slie pointed to the terrible scene enacted before their 
eyes; "for He hath declared, 'And it shall come to pass, that in 
all the land, . . . two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but 
the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part 
through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and 
will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and 
T will hear them : I will say, It is my people : and they shall 
say. The Lord is my God.' " 

THE PKOPHET HAS A VISION 

The patriarch. Evangelist, beholding the cleansing of the 
city, was moved with the voice of prophecy, and all near him 
gave heed to his words. 

He spoke concerning the new day which had dawned, and 
interpreted the city's purification; for he had seen a vision. 

' ' These, ' ' said he, ' ' are the beginnings of the days of the Son 
of Man. The vision hath been God's answer to the people's 
reverent and obedient faith. The fires of purification have been 
those of the Holy Ghost, by whose chrism sin and its attend- 
ant evils are purged from the heart, that the people, instead, 
may offer unto the Lord an offering of righteousness. 

BLEST ARE THE SONS OF PEACE 

Blessed are the eyes which see what ye have seen. Cast 
not away, therefore, your confidence, which hath great recom- 
pense of reward. For yet a little while, and He whom ye have 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



489 



seen in the vision of the cloud 'will come, and will not tarry.' 
Ye have entered into the promises which many, dying in the 
faith, see afar off. The city hath been saved by fire, and the 
Lord's children may behold His vision reflected within the 
crucible. ' ' 

''Evangelist hath seen the vision," said the Angel, "and his 
interpretation thereof is true. Betake yourselves hence to 
gather for the liord at his appearing the souls purified by the 
refining fire." 

"We shall obey," answered Determination. "The days yet 
call to labor, and we must go to do the will of Him who sent 
us." And so saying, the company of the faithful followed, and 
I beheld them enter the city where all things had been made 
new. 

"Go ye forth to gather for the Lord his jewels," directed the 
Angel, "for the set time for the favoring of Zion hath 
appeared. ' ' 

THIS NEW MANHOOD IN CITY AND TOWN 

The new heaven and new earth baptized with a celestial 
glory shone on every hand, and as the faithful walked in its 
streets, the old curse of iniquity had been removed, and 
everywhere were recognized the signs of righteousness, which 
in lives redeemed were to advance the Kingdom of Love. Things 
which had offended were no longer seen, and truth and the 
will of God were operative in the hearts of the people. 

Under the light of the Cross, which bathed the city, through- 
out, the touch of divine pity was everywhere manifest ; and the 



490 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



people respected the teaching of the prophet, and began their 
ministrations to the poor, so that cries of want and suffering 
were no longer heard. 

''Through the help of God, we have at last realized the ideal 
city, in which dwelleth righteousness," said Determination. 

'And there are none to molest nor make us afraid," said 
Minister Good. 

"These are wonderful times," observed Man-of-the-World, 
"for everywhere i3eople are seeking to lay up their treasures in 
Heaven, 'where neither moth nor rust doth corrujDt, and where 
thieves do not break through nor steal.' " 

LADEN WITH GUILT AND FULL OF FEARS 

Skulking about in the shadows beyond the city, the Arch- 
fiend found his approach arrested by an atmosphere of grace 
which he could not penetrate, and sorrowing grievously 
because his hopes were foiled, I saw him withdraw toward 
the wilderness, taking with him his attendant fiends. 

"Thousands of years ago God decreed this doom; but never 
did I count it possible of fulfillment," said he. Oppressed by 
disturbing fears, he hastened on cautiously toward the castle, 
while his wild eyes burned with suspicion as he glanced right 
and left as though treading a path of doom. 

As he reached the edge of the wilderness a strange light 
touched his feet. It startled him and he shrank back under 
shelter of the rocks, while the fiends huddled around him, each 
cursing the hour and its threatening terror. 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



491 



^^T\^ieiice came the light!" he asked, as he ventured forth and 
looked out toward the distant hill. 

''It was from yonder cloud," answered one of the fiends. 

' ' Nay, it was from the Cross upon the hill, ' ' insisted another. 

The Archfiend writhed with inward agony, as he feigned 
outward boldness, and ventured again to utter words of defiance 
and blasphemy against the Almighty. 

"The cloud parts!" shouted Determination, as he stood with 
Evangelist under shelter of the Cross. 

"God worketh wonders," answered the patriarch. 

From the distance came a sound like thunder, and its rever- 
beration was heard throughout the neighboring ravine. Then 
silence brooded over the land. 

"Behold! Behold!" shouted Determination. "Yonder upon 
the edge of the cloud standeth an Angel. What is that he 
holds in his hand!" 

Evangelist, shielding his eyes with his hand, peered in the 
direction of the cloud. Then he spoke. 

ETERNAL COUNSELS, DEEP DESIGNS 

"I see an Angel coming down from Heaven having the keys 
of the bottomless Pit and a great chain in his hand.' He shall 
lay hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil and 
Satan, and shall bind him a thousand years. He shall cast 
him into the bottomless Pit, and shut him up, and set a seal 
upon him, that he shall deceive the nations no more, till the 
thousand years shall be fulfilled; and after that he must be 



492 



SAVED A*S BY FIEE 



loosed a little season. Then lie shall be cast into the lake of 
fire and brimstone, and ' shall be tormented day and night 
for ever and ever." 

The Cross was illumined with a radiance beatific, and within 
its glory Evangelist and his friends tarried to witness the 
descent of the Angel, who, in fulfillment of God's decree, had 
come to bind the Archfiend with inseverable chains. 

Beyond them on the edge of the wilderness, the Avenging 
Angel intercepted Satan before the eyes of Evangelist and 
Determination. Eelentlessly and with vehement rage, the 
Archfiend strove to overpower his opponent, but in vain. The 
clanking of chains was distinctly heard as the hand-to-hand 
combat continued. 

SATAN IS CAPTURED AND BOUND 

^^Now," said Evangelist, ^Hhe chains are made secure; the 
Avenging Angel hath shackled the Enemy," and then the two 
knelt at the foot of the Cross and offered praise to Jehovah. 

The Avenging Angel led forward his captive, while the 
other fiends in dismay and terror hurried toward the castle. 
Then the earth shivered as it was torn apart at God's command, 
and I could see a deep and hideous pit, bottomless as viewed by 
man's eyes, into which Satan, with dreadful groaning and 
curses, was cast ; and where his chains were made secure. Above 
hung an impenetrable cloud. 

^'It is too terrible to behold; my soul shudders at the sight," 
cried out Determination, as he covered his face. 




See 2^. AST. 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



495 



''Fear not, my son," replied the prophet. "The Lord is 
within the cloud. These are the days of fulfillment, in which 
the sons of God should greatly rejoice. But listen!" 

"For a thousand years, for a thousand years, thou shalt 
await the day of thy doom." With these words did the Angel 
address Satan, and then, with a motion of his hand, he closed 
the bosom of earth and disappeared within the cloud. 

THE PEOPHECY IS FULFILLED 

Then throughout the earth those things in nature occa- 
sioned by sin began to die, and instead of the thistle there 
sprang forth the fragrant rose; and everywhere souls filled 
with peace and blessing lifted anthems of rejoicing, in which 
the s}Tiiphony of God's entire people was to blend. 

WOETHY FOEEVEE IS THE LOED 

Then I beheld in the dream that within the city redeemed 
there went up to God the shout of thanksgiving, and that 
everywhere earth and Heaven seemed one; for the will of God 
was being done on earth as in Heaven. Love with gentleness of 
perfection healed the deep wounds of the ages; while mercy 
perfected in the weak the blessings of the Most High. All loving 
the Lord were as one in Christ and lived beneath His smile; 
and life was spent in the delights of mutual benediction. 

"At last the Lord hath answered the prayer of His Church, 
and within the blessings of the new age we shall join the choir 

28 — The Modern Devil. 



496 



SAVED AS BY FIRE 



invisible, whose music is the gladness of the world," said 
Evangelist. 

Determination met the three as they entered the city, and 
together they sought Evangelist in the home of Miss Sincere 
with the news of the destruction of Satan's Castle of All Evil. 

''So it hath fallen!" cried the prophet, with glad heart. 
''Its fall w^as the crash our ears heard when we beheld the 
Angel descend from the cloud. Nevermore shall its stones be 
set one upon another." 

"Nevermore," answered Minister Good. "And now the 
Master Himself may soon appear. For this we must pre- 
pare. " ' 

"Yes, all must be ready for Him, for 'of that day and hour 
knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father 
only, ' ' ' answered the prophet. 

The Good Angel had undertaken a journey throughout the 
earth, and everywhere behind her the fires of purifying fell 
upon the people; everywhere the kingdom of Jesus upon its 
own foundation was being built up, and the glad day of His 
redeemed came in peace and power. 

THE CASTLE OF THE ENEMY IS DESTROYED 

Man-of -the- World with Hypocrite and Whole-soul, return- 
ing from a church service, came to the spot where it was told 
them by Evangelist that Satan had been entombed ; and as they 
stood in their rejoicing with faces toward the Hill of the Cross, 
the eyes of the former glanced toward the castle, and lo! it was 
not there. 



SAVED AS BY FIEE 



499 



*^Wliat lias befallen the castle?" cried he. 

The eyes of the three turned toward the spot^ and though 
thev could trace the winding path up the mountain, none could 
see the castle of the Enemy of Souls. 

''Let us go and behold what desolation hath been wrought," 
said AVhole-soul. 

Together I saw them climb the hill, and lo ! when they 
reached the summit they beheld only the ruins of the Arch- 
fiend's stronghold. 

"The Enemy in chains and his habitation demolished! Both 
have been wrought by the hand of our God!" cried Whole-soul. 

"He hath gotten us the victory," assented Hypocrite. 

"The victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, against whose 
kingdom the gates of hell were powerless to prevail," added 
Man-of-theAYorld. 



CHAPTER XXIII 



The Opening of the Heavenly Gates 

"The heavenly chimes are ringing 

From the Temple's tower afar, 
And the stars are candles shining 

Through the Gates of Pearl ajar, 
Saying, 'Come where souls find resting, 

And earth's heartaches ever cease; 
Come toward Heaven, the Holy City, 

Where the bells are chiming peace.' " 



T 



i i f~f^ HE light is breaking at last over the Hill of the Cross, 
and its glory is most gracious,'' said Minister Good. 
"The promise is that, ^at evening time it shall be 
light,' " answered his wife. 

"The Land of the Blessed, through all our years of service, 
has not been far away," he replied. 

"Yes," responded his wife, "it has always been near; but at 
times the mists have obscured it." 

Then in my vision I saw Evangelist enter. Minister Good 
loved the old prophet, and had come to regard his words as 
500 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 501 



inspired of the Lord. As tlie patriarch joined in the conver- 
sation it assumed a personal strain, for both of those servants 
of God were looking down vistas of happy memories. 

The leading of God, and the work of the years, with all of the 
jo}^ and sorrow they had held, were reviewed, and from the 
sunlit hills of blessed lives they spoke as dear friends some- 
times do of those coming years which must witness the soul's 
transition into the land of the sinless and redeemed. 

HOW SMALL THE HEAVY CROSS SHALL SEEM 

"The human spirit grows homesick, at times, for the glories 
that await it," said the minister. 

"Yes," answered Evangelist, "the end of our mission lies in 
the fruition which shall be reached after we have entered the 
Heavenly Gates. How small our heaviest cross shall then seem, 
when the vision of the crown appears." 

" 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered 
into the heart of man, the things which God hath prei^ared for 
them that love him,' " replied the minister. 

"It is given to the Christian to near the gates of Heaven 
with a glad heart, if the work of life has been well done," 
rejoined the prophet. 

"Yes, yes," continued Minister Good, "these years to us 
have been filled with toil and struggles for humanity. The 
future will bring its reward ; and there will yet be more blessed 
ministries awaiting us upon reaching Heaven." 



502 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



MINISTER GOOD IS CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE 

Not many days after, while returning from a ministry of 
mercy to one of God's children in sorrow, just as the setting 
sun from over the Hill of the Cross was gilding the path to be 
trod, the Master called for the higher services of Minister 
Good, and to human ears his spirit never spoke again. He had 
gone to join the choir invisible. 

^^It is a beautiful close of a blessed life,'' were Evangelist's 
words upon hearing that his friend's earthly ministrations were 
ended. 

In a garden within sight of the Hill-lands of the Cross, 
Hypocrite purchased a plot of earth, and there the human form 
of Minister Good was tenderly laid to rest. 

''Here," said the aged prophet, as the little company stood 
by the tomb, "we shall lay our brother and speak our tender- 
est words ; here we shall let him rest, for he hath fallen asleep, 
and on the morning of the Resurrection this body shall rise 
again through the power of Jesus." 

"He hath gone to his reward," said Whole-soul. 

"He lived to bless us all," added Miss Sincere. 

"God forgive us for aught of pain our sins of other days 
caused him," replied Hypocrite, "for he was our friend." 

A light from the Cross fell upon the tomb with holy efful- 
gence, as the Good Angel stood within the doorway of an old- 
time sepulchre close by, and extending her hands in benedic- 
tion said: 

"Sown in weakness, but raised in power, His spirit, victori- 



THE OPENING OP THE HEAVENLY GATES 503 



ous over death, liatii crossed the Bridge, and for this servant of 
our God, the Gates of Pearl have opened. 

A CKOWN NEVEE FADING, A KINGDOM OF GLOKY 

Again it was Easter morning, and as the Angel parted from 
them, the little company in reverent silence withdrew toward 
the city. 

The songs of the Eesnrrection were everywhere rising 
throughout the world; and flowers, emblems of the risen life, 
having tossed aside the coverlet of winter, smiled with rejoic- 
ing, as the voices of God's children throughout this new age of 
Christendom burst forth in a chorus of praise to Him who 
from Joseph's sepulchre had brought life and immortality to 
light for mankind. 

Man-of-the-World and Hypocrite walked through the 
redeemed city, and noted with delight the glories of the millen- 
nium which had dawned. Peace everywhere abounded, and 
humankind in bonds of perfect brotherhood fulfilled the laws 
of the Kingdom. Love constrained all hearts, and in mutual 
relations expressed the mind of Christ. Faith was far-reach- 
ing and genuine; for whatever was false and insincere had 
been cleansed from the world by the breath of the Spirit. Sor- 
rows and troubles occasioned by misunderstanding and self- 
seeking were banished, and the King in His beauty everywhere 
held sway over the life of the age. Tears and heartaches 
were coming to an end, for the Archfiend was powerless to sow 
the seed from which they sprang. All things had become new. 



504 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



HOW HAED TO REMEMBER 

These are wonderful times," said Hypocrite, as his keen 
sense of perception grasped the fulness of blessing which 
abounded on every hand. 

''The Lord has been gracious in leading us into the blessed- 
ness of the redeemed life," replied Man-of-the-World. 

''Would I could wipe from memory the wilful mistakes of 
my early life. They seem the more grievous as I view them 
by the light of the millennium," added Hypocrite. 

"Yes, yes," answered Man-of-the-World, "would we might 
sweeten the past and cleanse it of the sorrows which our sins 
occasioned; but it lies beyond our recall. Oh! the sorrows of 
a misspent life." 

"But all is forgiven; why should we suffer the remembrance 
of it to cast its shadow upon the gladness of these blessed 
years!" replied Hypocrite. 

"Threefold the stride of time from first to last. 
Loitering slow, the future creepeth — 
Arrow swift, the present sweepeth — 
And motionless forever stands the past," 

answered Man-of-the-World. 

"Yes, the motionless ]3ast, soiled with our sin, lies where it 
has no power to harm." 

"Yes," said H^q^ocrite, "it lies in the oblivion of God's 
mercy; we shall go forward, keeping the eye of faith upon the 
prize of our high calling of God in Christ Jesus." 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 505 



GLOKIOUS TIDINGS, PLENTY 

I saw them retrace their steps until they reached the home 
of Miss Sincere, where Evangelist stood in the doorway to 
greet them. 

^' Enter and be at peace," was the prophet's salutation, and 
then he told them the glad tidings he had received from the 
Angel, as he communed near the Cross that very day. 

The aged prophet had gone to the little house on the Pil- 
grim's Road for rest and communion, and through the Window 
of Prayer had looked afar off toward the heavenly gates. He 
had stood silently gazing into the glories before him; and upon 
his benign face had rested the brightness of the Cross which 
shone through the window. 

AND THE CITY LIETH FOURSQUAKE 

The clouds which hung in mid-air this side of the City of God 
had seemed a transparent veil through which he saw out- 
lined the gates of pearl and the walls of precious stones, and 
beyond them the domes and towers of the Christian's home. 

''The land of the blessed lies nearer than I have ever seen it 
before," said he to himself. 

Closing the window he descended to the foot-path, and turn- 
ing his eyes toward the Cross, he rejoiced to behold the approach 
of the Angel. 

''I have good tidings for thee, thou servant of God," were 
her words of salutation. 

''What revelation dost thou bear?" inquired the prophet. 



506 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY Gx^TES 



"One that shall delight thy soul. The Christ hath come!'' 
" Whence r' 

"He hath come from glory, to rule and reign within this 
age, as He promised upon His departure at Bethany. He hath 
appeared ! ' ' 

"Blessed, blessed tidings! Where can we behold Him that 
our souls may bow down and worship 

"He shall appear unto thee," was the reply. 

"My heart longeth to behold the face of Him to whom through 
all these years my love and service have been given,'' declared 
Evangelist. 

"He shall meet thee upon the road which leads down from 
the Cross. I saw Him there this day," answered the Angel. 

EVANGELIST MEETS THE LIVING JESUS 

Then did Evangelist relate what befell him after leaving the 
Angel, and the company burst into exultant song as the prophet 
told them of the return of their Lord. 

" 'Again He comes ! From place to place 
His holy foot-prints we can trace. 
He paiiseth at one threshold — nay 
He enters — condescends to stay. 
Shall we not gladly raise the cry — 
Jesus of Nazareth passeth by?'" 

"Listen, my children," continued the prophet, "for I would 
tell of our meeting." 

"A meeting with the Christ! Lo, He hath come!" exclaimed 
Whole-soul. 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 507 



Listen," urged Determination, who waited with intense 
interest to hear. 

WHO IS THIS THAT COMETH TIP I 

''I will tell of our meeting," began Evangelist. While in 
the way this side of the Cross, I beheld the approach of a 
stranger. From the AngePs description I discerned that it 
was our Lord; and hastening forward I fell at His feet in adora- 
tion. Oh, glorious moment ! ' ' 

Thus did Evangelist speak, and a hush of reverent silence 
followed, in which none could utter a word. 

''Beautiful face, radiant with heavenly light, which beamed 
upon me; beautiful .hands, bearing the nail-prints, were then 
laid upon my head as I knelt at His feet; beautiful robes of 
white and crimson were those which touched me as I pressed 
against His form. Beautiful words, those with which my Lord 
addressed me as I looked into His eyes, ' ' continued the prophet. 

"Then I feasted my soul until He parted from me, and I 
heard Him say, ' I shall see ye again. ^ ' ' 

"Would we might all behold Him face to face," exclaimed 
Whole-soul. "Would that we might know where He dwelleth 
and approach Him with our praise." 

"The pure in heart everywhere behold Him. The prophet 
hath been privileged to see Him whose very presence is pal- 
pable to each; for everywhere His glory shineth," said Hypo- 
crite. 

"Yes," replied Evangelist, "He is not far off from any of 
us." 



508 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



DO ALL THAT IS IN THINE HEART 

So tliey parted to tlieir tasks, and with them, though unseen, 
was the conquering Lord to bless each ministration and hallow 
it with His personal and sacred touch. 

^'Let us go and prepare the spot where the castle of Satan 
stood for the service of the Most High," said Determination 
to a band of earnest and valiant Christians. 

''We are of one mind with thee in this matter,'' said they all. 

Then in my vision I beheld them go forth, and saw them 
climbing the steep path toward the ruins of the castle. The 
ascent was difficult. A network of briars had hidden the path, 
and on the mountain side giant thistles and cacti clasped in 
their rough embrace the tangled undergrowth of shrubbery. 
The silence of death enveloped the hill, and nowhere was rec- 
ognized the sign of a living thing. 

''Behold the destruction the Almighty hath wrought," said 
Determination, as he and his faithful associates pressed their 
way to the summit. Standing at last upon the vast pile of stone, 
lying in disorder, where the proud castle once stood, I saw 
them look toward the Cross, whence, through the stern experi- 
ence of the years, all inspiration and strength for service had 
come. 

Standing upon the rocks of the dismembered castle these sol- 
diers of Jesus looked down on the prison tomb of the Archfiend 
and burst forth in words of triumph and adoring praise: 

" 'Thank be to God, which giveth us the victory through our 
Lord Jesus Christ.' " 



THE OPEXIXG OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 509 ' 



I WILL OKDAIN A PLACE 

Drjs passed, and yet they labored and rejoiced the more by 
reason of their purpose to cleanse the spot and consecrate it to 
the service of God. 

The hidden foundations of the castle were unearthed, and 
places long defiled by the presence and inspiration of evil were 
purified by the breath of prayer ; and then arose the walls of a 
watch-tower, which, when completed, was dedicated to the ser- 
vice of the Most High. From it the prayers of the new Kingdom 
were to be noted and within the tower were stationed those 
who, by appointment of the Angel, were to record the onward 
sweep of the new age. 

Many days after, Determination, with Man-of-theAYorld and 
Hypocrite, went up the mountain. A new clearing had been 
made and a broad path cut, by the sides of which clung the 
lowly myrtle, with here and there a rambling rose, laden with 
color, to adorn the way. Ever where the face of nature had 
changed, and the breath of Heaven was in the air. 

Eeaching the tower, the three entered, and were greeted by 
the keepers. Determination carried with him the Lamp of 
Truth, and by its wonderful searching they looked throughout 
the world. The glory of the Cross near-by lighted up the dis- 
tance, and they beheld what before had not been given mortal 
eyes to see. Each in turn beheld the same vision, and with 
mutual delight they rejoiced in the incomparable glories of 
the advancing age. 



510 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



A NEW HEAVEN AND A NEW EARTH 

^'Turn the glass yonder," instructed the Angel who stood 
with them on the tower. 
Determination obeyed. 

^'Thoii art now looking in the direction of the Throne of 
Jehovah. What dost thou see!" she inquired. 

''I behold, as it were a vast city coming downward toward 
the earth." 

''Thou dost discern rightly," replied the Angel. 

In turn Man-of-the-World and Hypocrite gazed through the 
glass upon the scene. 

''Hath this vision a meaning which those of the world may 
understand!" asked Determination. 

"It is not a vision thou beholdest, but a fulfillment of a vision 
seen of the disciple John long years ago while upon Patmos, " 
the Angel explained, and so saying she repeated the language 
in which he had described it: 'And I John saw the holy city, 
the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, pre- 
pared as a bride adorned for her husband.' " 

BEHOLD, I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW 

"What signifieth the sound like a voice which we heard while 
looking upon the city!" asked Man-of-the-World. 

' ' That sound was the voice of one who spoke out of Heaven, ' ' 
replied the Angel. 

"What was the message!" inquired Determination. 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 513 



'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will 
dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Him- 
self shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe 
away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any 
more pain: for the former things are passed away.' " 

''What a wonderful message," exclaimed Man-of-the- 
World. "When shall these blessings be realized by mankind I " 

"They have begun to realize them already; and with the 
reappearing of Jesus the day of a full redemption draweth 
nigh," answered the Angel. Then the three left the tower and 
directed their steps toward the city. 

HE THAT OVERCOMETH SHALL INHERIT 

"We have seen blessed things to-day," said Determination. 

"We have stood upon the mount where to human hearts God 
revealed the wonders of His transfiguring touch," replied Man- 
of-the-World. 

Then I beheld Evangelist and Whole-soul meet the three as 
they entered the valley; and to them the three told of the 
vision and the Angel's interpretation. 

The aged prophet listened reverently to the message, and then 
broke forth in praise at hearing of the dawning age of blessed- 
ness, of which the voice out of Heaven had spoken. 

' ' This is the day for which the people of all ages have waited 
and prayed. 'Many prophets and righteous men have desired 
to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and 



514 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them, ' ' ' 
he declared. 

^Blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they 
hear,' " said the Angel. 

AND THEY SHALL SEE HIS FACE 

^^We must hasten," said the prophet, ''for we are to meet 
our Lord, returned, at the home of Widow Faith, at eventide." 

Hurrying toward the city, they sought this poor woman's 
dwelling, and entered with reverence and rejoicing to behold 
again in the garment of flesh the Lord Jesus. 

"He yet tarries with the lowly, and honors the poor with His 
presence," Miss Sincere had said to the prophet upon hearing 
of His visit. 

"The Lord, no doubt, remembereth those who once welcomed 
Him in Galilee, and of those He spoke tenderly when to His 
Church He said : ' The poor always have ye with you, ' ' ' replied 
Evangelist. 

"None are more worthy to receive the divine Lord than 
Widow Faith; for with great confidence she hath sacrificed 
much in order to minister unto the poor and homeless, through 
a long life," added Miss Sincere. 

"Yes, she hath lived His life, and the beauty of the Lord has 
appeared on whatever her life has touched," said Hypocrite. 

MY LORD AND MY GOD 

Then I saw within the lowly home where the glorified Christ 
had deigned to come ; and about Him in loving fellowship were 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 517 



gathered the little company. They looked upon His face, which 
beamed upon them with celestial light; and His voice of love, 
which had won the world, fell upon their ears as a melody 
divine. I saw them handle Him to be convinced; and with a 
tenderness that dissolved every doubt, He showed them the 
scars within His hands and upon His feet, as He said: 

These are the healed wounds from the nails of Calvary." 

Adoring, Evangelist and the company fell before Him in 
exultation and praise; and I marked that the little room was 
ablaze with a glory that was heavenly. Throwing aside His 
garment, the Master pointed to a scar within His side, 

^^This," said He, ^'is where the spear of the soldier pierced 
my side after my death upon the Cross." And so saying. He 
added, ^'I am none other than He who died for the sins of the 
world, and of whom it was foretold that He should again 
appear. " 

Then, without their seeing. He disappeared, and amazed and 
wondering, left them to themselves and prayer. 

The great day for which the Church of Christendom had 
waited long, and for the coming of which thousands had suf- 
fered the loss of all things, had at last dawned ; and upon earth 
and in Heaven men and angels rejoiced in rapturous acclama- 
tions of praise, in honor of the all-conquering and triumphant 
Redeemer. 

YE SHALL NOT TASTE DEATH 

Upon the departure of Christ, the Angel entered the home of 
the Widow Faith. 

29 — The Modern Devil. 



518 THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 



"Life's day is far spent," said she. "Ye have seen the return 
of the Lord's Anointed; for whose coming ye have prepared 
the Avay. The time of yonr departure draweth nigh; and it 
is given unto you of His mercy not to taste of death. ' ' 

So saying, tlie Angel beckoned the company to follow. Then 
I saw that the aged prophet arose and encouraged the others 
to obey the command. 

THEKE SHALL BE Is^O NIGHT THERE 

Standing within the doorway with their guide, they beheld 
before them a cloud in which shone the glory of the world invis- 
ible, and within it were a host of celestial beings, chanting the 
song of the triumphant. 

As I watched the wondrous phenomenon, I beheld the cloud 
move slowly before them as they advanced, with the Good 
Angel leading the way. As they passed the Cross, the angelic 
antiphone grew the more distinct as the heavenly choir drew 
nearer. Clad in robes of white, these pilgrims followed the 
cloud ; and to my ears came the words of the song of the 
heavenly host. It was the new, neiv song. 

A mighty chorus of voices sang : " ' What are these which are 
arrayed in white robes! and whence came theyf " and was 
answered in marvellous tones by others : " ' These are they which 
came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and 
made them white in the blood of the Lamb.' " 

Then I beheld the Angel as she approached the Bridge, and 
heard her say, ' ' The victory is won ' ' ; and amid the music from 



THE OPENING OF THE HEAVENLY GATES 519 



angelic choirs assembled before the Gates of Pearl, on the 
farther side, Evangelist and the faithful band, over whom the 
Angel had kept guard for many years, mingled with the throng 
who were passing over; and I saw them no more. 

HIM THAT LTVETH POK EVER AND EVER 

Ere the vision ceased, I beheld the All-conquering Saviour 
—once for mankind the Man of Many Sorrows, but now the 
world's acknowledged Redeemer, standing by the Bridge which 
spanned the river with hands uplifted in benediction, and upon 
His face, which was turned towards the Gates of Heaven, rested 
a gleam of glory from the City of Peace. 

"Welcomed at the pearly portal," 

Evermore a welcome guest; 
Welcome to the life immortal. 

To the mansions of the blest, 
Home, sweet home, our home forever; 

All the pilgrim journey past; 
Welcome home to wander never. 

Saved thro' Jesus — home at last." 



LAST WORD. 



Deak Reader, the allegory is ended, but it has not been toiJ 
in vain if, by means of it, you are going to defy the works of 
the Devil, in some larger degree, and become more imbued with 
the Christ-spirit as exemplified in Jesus, the apotheosis of 
humanity. 

We have delved after sins entrenched in the human heart, 
and have pictured the path of sorrow to which they inevitably 
lead. 

Sham has been fearlessly exposed and brought into striking 
contrast with what is genuine in life and character. 

The strait path, which alone guides to goodness and God, 
crosses each page ; and the finger-board of divine judgment 
has been set up at the cross-roads of sins common in the 
CHURCH, the HOME, and SOCIETY. 

This plain and pointed message has its inspiration and 
source in the Word of God. It will do truth's work where 
souls are ready to hear truth's word. 

YOU have read the book, heard what it has had to say, and 
you know that what it says is TRUE. 

NOW, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? 

The light of the Cross still shines. The Angel yet meets you 
on the road of life. You are either right or wrong. The 
Bridge must soon be crossed ; but the Gates of Pearl shall swing 
open to those only who to-day are traveling in the company 
of Jesus, with clean hands, pure hearts, and loyal endeavors. 

I. Mench Chambers. 

520 



JUN 17 1903 



